Artemis Aerospace explores the most commonly replaced aircraft components

Aircraft need plenty of maintenance, both routine and unexpected, to keep them in the air and ensure they are in peak flying condition; lives depend on it. Flight simulators are in demand around the clock to keep pilots and cabin crew up to scratch with their training. Artemis Aerospace looks at the components which are most regularly replaced in each and the reasons why.

Aircraft are heavy duty workhorses and with airlines aiming for the minimum amount of AOG time, there's a considerable amount of wear and tear which needs continual attention. Flight simulators enable pilots to train in every type of weather condition, for every possible eventuality, over any country and at any airport. The type of wear and tear which takes place on a simulator is very different to a real aircraft, but the need to keep them fully operational is no less urgent. So which parts of an aeroplane need the most regular updating? Do flight simulators wear out the same parts just as fast, or does the pattern of dilapidation deviate? There are two distinct types; cosmetic wear and tear, which includes worn upholstery, broken armrests and recliners, chips, stains and spillages. It's important to an airline's brand and reputation to present an aircraft in the best possible state, but issues like these aren't necessarily essential to passenger safety. Then there is operational wear and tear, such as worn tyres or brakes and malfunctioning navigational equipment, which is absolutely crucial both for safety and compliance with rigorous regulations.

Artemis Aerospace explores a day in the life of a flight trainer

 

Everyone remembers a good teacher. However, a flight instructor for the commercial aviation industry is mentoring students who will go on to be responsible for thousands of people's lives over the course of their careers. Artemis Aerospace looks at the work of the people who teach pilots to fly.

Becoming a qualified pilot is a major undertaking, and for many people, it's the realisation of a lifelong dream. The responsibility of getting them to that stage falls on the flight instructor, and it's a complex, but incredibly rewarding job. Currently, there's a shortage of both pilots and trainers, so now is a great time for pilots to consider utilising their flying skills to bring on the next cohort.

To become a flight instructor, you will need to undertake a course lasting around five or six weeks if done on a full-time basis. There are stringent pre-entry requirements for this, and applicants are usually required to have:

A UK CAA CPL (Commercial Pilot's Licence) or PPL (Private Pilot's Licence) plus at least 200 hours flying time of which 150 should be as PIC (Pilot in Command).

A pass in CPL-level theoretical flight knowledge exams.

Ten hours instrument flight training and twenty hours VFR (Visual Flight Rules) cross country flying as PIC including landing at different aerodromes.

A required number of hours of SEP (Safety and Emergency Procedures) training.

A pass in a pre-course flight test no longer than six months before entry to the course.

A flying instructor's course will usually involve around 30 hours of teaching and learning tuition, 100 hours of theory, and 30 hours of flight training, leading to a final exam and FI certification.

There isn't a typical day in the life of a flight instructor. As a multi-crew co-operation instructor, you will be training students to operate as both pilot and co-pilot in a multi-engine commercial aeroplane, involving VFR (Visual Flight Rules) and IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) and all the complexities associated with optimum decision-making, communication, teamwork, and flying in all weather conditions and emergency situations.

An instructor at British Airways' Global Learning Academy might be tutoring students from airlines all over the world on a Flight Technical Training conversion course, designed for pilots to familiarise themselves with a specific type of aeroplane such as an Airbus A380 or a Boeing 787.

BA's Speedbird Pilot Academy has instructors teaching 60 future BA pilots a year – aside from flying, this will involve systems checks, cockpit instrumentation lessons, practical skills, customer service and leadership development.

A crucial part of all pilot training is time spent on an aircraft simulator. A synthetic flight instructor teaches the basic principles of flight, take-off and landing, safety, and instrument familiarisation within a safe environment. Students can practise approaching every airport in the world, fly any type of aeroplane and encounter every possible weather condition and emergency scenario. In addition, all qualified pilots must undergo regular evaluation by an instructor in a simulator in order to renew or revalidate their licence.

How rapid growth in the US aviation industry means opportunities for suppliers

With its global aviation support business flying high, Artemis Aerospace is expanding stateside. Here’s why the company believes it’s the right time to go west.

According to the Airports Council International, the aviation industry is predicted to recover fully from the effects of COVID-19 in 2024, with passenger traffic estimated to reach 9.4 billion passengers. A report produced by IATA earlier in the year states that the demand for air travel is expected to double by 2040, growing at an annual average rate of 3.4%. It’s an impressive show of resilience in an industry which ground to an almost complete halt during the pandemic.

North America has made a strong recovery so far. IATA’s June 2023 report ‘Global Outlook for Air Transport’ says it’s the stand-out region in terms of financial performance; it was the first market to return to profitability in 2022. With the demand for air travel remaining high, it’s expected, by the end of 2023, to improve on this still further with an estimated net profit of US$11.5 billion.

The aviation industry is a generous contributor to the US economy. A new economic study released earlier this year by the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO), the Alliance for Aviation Across America (AAAA), and the American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) found that aviation in the USA supports over 1.1 million jobs and has an economic impact of over $246 billion every year; there are more than 4,800 public airports, 3,383 fixed-base operators, 4,144 repair stations, over 2,200 charter companies and 643 flight training operations.

Artemis Aerospace opens two US hubs

Global aviation component solutions specialist Artemis Aerospace has opened two new hubs in the US.

Located in Miami, FL and Los Angeles, CA, Artemis's stateside hubs will streamline orders and deliveries for US-based customers and provide a quicker and even more efficient service.

The company, which was established in 1999 by Jim and Deborah Scott and has headquarters in the UK, operates a global, solution-led service. Its flexible approach has earned the company an enviable reputation across multiple disciplines, including component supplies, component repairs, lessor support, flight simulation hardware support, consignment stock management and global aircraft logistics.

Jim Scott, Owner, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Artemis Aerospace, said:

"This marks a new chapter for Artemis as we strengthen our global offer. Combined with our establishment of US banking facilities for the convenience of US customers, our new hubs will guarantee that we can continue to provide the highest quality service across the Americas, shorten delivery times and offer quick and convenient solutions."

To find out more about Artemis Aerospace, visit https://www.artemisaerospace.com/.

Artemis Aerospace offers an innovative approach to component solutions for the aviation sector. Established in 1999, the company has earned a reputation for outstanding customer service by solving problems and providing a range of realistic options that offer customers the flexibility and freedom to choose a solution that suits their timescale and budget.

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Airport retail therapy – some of the best airports for duty free

Photo

Once you’ve checked in and offloaded your baggage, you’ll have some spare time airside. You could plug in your laptop and get on with some work or indulge in a variety of refreshments; however, the lure of a vibrant shopping mall is frequently too much of a distraction. In this article, Artemis Aerospace investigates some of the best airports in which to buy before you fly.

For many people, a leisurely wander round an airport shopping mall is as much a part of the journey as the flight itself. For retailers, a captive audience in a holiday mood is likely to be the kind of customer they want. Time and routine are thrown out of the window; people drink beer for breakfast, buy hats they are unlikely ever to wear again and are generally much more receptive to the idea of spending. Serious shoppers with an eye for a bargain can often hunt one out, and the possibilities for duty free alcohol, cosmetics, fragrances, luxury goods and tobacco are legion, particularly if a bit of research is undertaken beforehand.

Some airports have very little in the way of retail opportunities. If you’re a keen shopper it can be rather disappointing to find your purchasing prospects are limited to a magazine, a bottle of water and a few uninteresting snacks. But in the larger airports, shopping malls are glittering temples to merchandising with high end brands tempting the passer-by to indulge. We’ve put together a list of six which should give any passenger a memorable shopping experience before they take off.

London Heathrow Airport

Placed fourth in the Skytrax Best Airport Shopping Award 2023, Heathrow, with 62 outlets, promises an exciting few hours of browsing. You can check out Aspinal of London or Bulgari for designer bags, buy a watch at Cartier, Rolex or Tiffany or boost your holiday wardrobe with a little number from Prada. There are branches of Harrods and Fortnum & Mason should you require some upmarket refreshment, and even a Harry Potter shop in case your wand requires an upgrade. If you want to make the most of every minute, you can pre-book a personal shopping service.

Hong Kong International Airport

If you feel stressed when you arrive at HKIA, you can head for one of the two Waterfall Gardens, an interactive multimedia ecosystem with plant life, ponds, and waterfalls. Once recharged, among the 280 shops, Versace, Ferragamo and Jimmy Choo beckon, along with Hong Kong jewellery brand Chow Tai Fook. If you’re exhausted after all this and need a little pick-me-up, you can head to the Oriental Massage Centre for a relaxing head, shoulder and foot massage. The ideal way to begin a long journey!

Dubai International Airport

The UAE is globally renowned for its designer shopping, and the airport is particularly known for its duty free electronics and technology retail opportunities. Dubai Duty Free store will sell you a laptop or mobile, a power bank if you forgot your charger, or even a drone, should you feel the need to undertake some aviation of your own! Cosmetics are also a canny purchase here, and you can customise a bottle of perfume at the Guerlain pop-up in Terminal 3 for a perfect present. As an extra bonus, if you’ve been sitting in a plane for hours, all passengers passing through Dubai are entitled to use of the swimming pool at the Dubai International Hotel.

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

Schiphol is another airport which tries to de-stress the travelling experience; you can seat yourself in one of seven Massage-O-Matic chairs for a five-minute Shiatsu massage, while listening to calming music and watching relaxing images on a screen. Re-energised, you can find good prices on beauty and fashion products from retailers such as Gucci, Burberry and Bottega Veneta. Visit Old Amsterdam for a wide selection of Dutch cheeses, which are vacuum-packed ready to go in your hand luggage. And, of course, you shouldn’t leave without buying a chocolate windmill – the ultimate in edible souvenirs!

The growth of Indian aviation.....

As the aviation industry begins to take flight again after the static years of the pandemic, one country is striding ahead. Artemis Aerospace investigates India's rise to the skies.

The announcement earlier this year that the Air India Group has ordered 470 aircraft set the aviation industry alight with interest and excitement. Speaking recently at an event to unveil Air India's new brand identity, CEO Campbell Wilson stated that the Group's ambitious expansion plans would mean taking delivery of a new aircraft every six days on average until the end of 2024. This staggering total comprises 250 from Airbus and 220 from Boeing, with a further option to buy another 370 planes. It's the largest aircraft order in aviation history and is worth $70 billion.

Air India was making a loss until a takeover by the Tata Group in January 2022. It encompasses Air India, Air India Express, AIX Connect and Vistara, and the new owners have embarked on an ambitious five-year consolidation and development process, with the aim to double market share on both domestic flights and international short haul.

As these figures demonstrate, the aviation industry in India is undergoing a transformation which is nothing short of dramatic; it now has the third-largest domestic market globally, second only to America and China. The route from Mumbai to Delhi is the third busiest in the world, and India's Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) reported that the industry handled around 200 million passengers in the financial year ending March 2023. There are currently 140 operational airports in India, with the government planning a further 200 over the next five years.

These are impressive statistics – but what has caused this unprecedented industry upsurge? As is usually the case, it's a combination of factors.

The real art of blue sky thinking...... air traffic control

Picture the worst possible day on the biggest and busiest road and then imagine that chaos transferred to the clouds worldwide. Artemis Aerospace looks at the crucial work of air traffic controllers and how they keep aircraft moving and skies safe.

If you’ve downloaded a flight radar app, you may have been astonished at the sheer number of aircraft criss-crossing the country. Zooming in to Heathrow or JFK, all you can see is a vast pile of teeny planes all seemingly jostling to get on or off the runway. It appears to be completely chaotic, but every single aircraft is on a precisely dictated flight path, and it’s the work of air traffic controllers which will result in an untroubled journey and a safe landing.

The aim of air traffic control is to move aircraft safely and efficiently through the airspace system, to maintain communication with the pilot and ensure compliance with aviation protocol. In the UK, 7,000 aircraft traverse the skies every day, and air traffic control services handle 2.5 million flights and 250 million passengers per year on commercial, leisure, cargo and military flights.

It's arguably one of the most responsible jobs anyone can undertake, with passenger safety depending on each decision. To become an air traffic controller (ATCo) you need to have good concentration, excellent verbal communication, problem-solving and decision-making skills and the ability to pay attention to detail and work well under pressure.

The route to becoming an ATCo involves rigorous study; to begin with, trainees spend a year at a specialist college learning about the theories and practicalities of the job. Modules include air navigation law, air safety management and weather studies as well as the complex rules and regulations of air traffic control. Having completed this, trainees can then specialise as one of three types of ATCo:

Area controllers are based at a regional control centre and track and guide aircraft flying at high altitudes through their specific area.

Approach controllers give instructions to aircraft which have just taken off and manage them on their approach to an airport.

Aerodrome controllers work from an airport control tower, guiding pilots to their allocated stand and runway and giving take-off and landing clearance.

There are two types of airspace, controlled and uncontrolled. Surprisingly, the majority is uncontrolled and is used by recreational pilots and also some military flights; it’s up to the pilots to avoid collisions. Air traffic control services are provided in controlled airspace using radar and other surveillance systems to minimise delays and keep aircraft at a safe distance from each other.

After the dramatic downturn in air travel during the pandemic, what shape is the aviation industry in today?

Image by Jan Vašek from Pixabay

After the dramatic downturn in air travel during the pandemic, what shape is the aviation industry in today? Artemis Aerospace looks at whether business is flying high again.

As COVID-19 spread worldwide in 2020, international air travel came to an almost complete standstill, and the aviation industry described it as ‘the worst year in history for air travel demand’. The following year and 2021 wasn’t any better, as lockdowns worldwide, often with different restrictions in different countries, made any kind of travel well-nigh impossible.

At the beginning of 2022, as constraints in the UK began to ease, Artemis’s article aviation in the post-pandemic era speculated on how the industry would begin to pick itself up and become competitive again. As memories of life under lockdown begin to fade, we review how aviation is recovering.

IATA has predicted that by the end of 2023, most regions will either be at, or exceeding, demand levels prior to the pandemic, and that the aviation industry will return to profitability. As an example, Boeing delivered a total of 480 commercial aircraft throughout 2022, a 40% increase from 2021, making it the busiest year since 2018.

Both demand and capacity are increasing considerably, particularly for flights for leisure purposes, although a shortage of skilled personnel, rising inflation, global supply chain issues and general industrial unrest continue to cause problems. Last year, Boeing claimed that over 600,000 new pilots would be needed between now and 2041 to keep up with requirements – read our recent blog on the subject here.

Automation

In our earlier blog, we mentioned the increase in contactless check in and immigration, and these innovations continue to develop. Digital advancement is expected to take off in the next few years with artificial intelligence and data analytics contributing towards more effective supply chain logistics, production and maintenance. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are increasingly using smart factory technologies, such as robotics and the IoT (Internet of Things) to precipitate aircraft production. Machines can run mostly autonomously and will correct themselves and learn from errors. The fine tuning of the digital thread should also have a significant effect on both aircraft and component manufacture. This is a process by which information from the supply chain, smart factory, connected systems and customer feedback is automatically woven into the whole manufacturing procedure, so performance can be continually improved and streamlined.

Business as usual?

Image by Jan Vašek from Pixabay

After the dramatic downturn in air travel during the pandemic, what shape is the aviation industry in today? Artemis Aerospace looks at whether business is flying high again.

As COVID-19 spread worldwide in 2020, international air travel came to an almost complete standstill, and the aviation industry described it as ‘the worst year in history for air travel demand’. The following year and 2021 wasn’t any better, as lockdowns worldwide, often with different restrictions in different countries, made any kind of travel well-nigh impossible.

At the beginning of 2022, as constraints in the UK began to ease, Artemis’s article aviation in the post-pandemic era speculated on how the industry would begin to pick itself up and become competitive again. As memories of life under lockdown begin to fade, we review how aviation is recovering.

IATA has predicted that by the end of 2023, most regions will either be at, or exceeding, demand levels prior to the pandemic, and that the aviation industry will return to profitability. As an example, Boeing delivered a total of 480 commercial aircraft throughout 2022, a 40% increase from 2021, making it the busiest year since 2018.

Both demand and capacity are increasing considerably, particularly for flights for leisure purposes, although a shortage of skilled personnel, rising inflation, global supply chain issues and general industrial unrest continue to cause problems. Last year, Boeing claimed that over 600,000 new pilots would be needed between now and 2041 to keep up with requirements – read our recent blog on the subject here.

Automation

In our earlier blog, we mentioned the increase in contactless check in and immigration, and these innovations continue to develop. Digital advancement is expected to take off in the next few years with artificial intelligence and data analytics contributing towards more effective supply chain logistics, production and maintenance. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are increasingly using smart factory technologies, such as robotics and the IoT (Internet of Things) to precipitate aircraft production. Machines can run mostly autonomously and will correct themselves and learn from errors. The fine tuning of the digital thread should also have a significant effect on both aircraft and component manufacture. This is a process by which information from the supply chain, smart factory, connected systems and customer feedback is automatically woven into the whole manufacturing procedure, so performance can be continually improved and streamlined.

Skills shortages in the aviation industry......

Aviation commentators are warning of a worsening skills shortage which could threaten the industry's bounceback from the pandemic. This is particularly acute for pilots, but covers all workers from cabin crew to ground staff. Artemis Aerospace explores how training is being affected.

Last year, along with many other industry commentators, we sounded a warning about the need to address the skills shortage in the aviation sector, and discussed how to build momentum to overcome it and highlight the appeal of careers in the industry. If we fast forward a year, has this changed?

Boeing's Pilot and Technician Outlook 2023-2042 states that "over the next twenty years, 649,000 new pilots, 690,000 new maintenance technicians and 938,000 new cabin crew members will be needed to maintain the global commercial fleet."

A global skills survey from IATA in 2022 found that the percentage of pilots in place to meet immediate needs was 72%, maintenance and technical staff was 70%, and cabin crew only 63%. In the US, there are 10% fewer fully trained air traffic controllers than there were ten years ago, 12,000 fewer mechanics, and nearly 15,000 pilots are due to retire within five years. In the UK, the number of pilots who retired during the pandemic is reputed to be at least twice the usual levels.

There are a multitude of different reasons for this alarming shortfall in personnel, one of the most important ones being issues surrounding training. It's critical for the industry that more training places are provided, and more applicants encouraged to take them up.

Inevitably, for jobs on which people's lives depend, training is thorough and demanding. On graduating from a UK pilot training school, prospective pilots will have gained a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) and an Instrument Rating (IR) which combine to make a "frozen ATPL." This opens doors to jobs as a first officer or co-pilot. In order to "unfreeze" the APTL, 1,500 flying hours are required before a trainee can advance to the rank of captain, as well as a practical skills test, and exams in subjects such as radio navigation. Whichever training route is taken, courses are completely self-funded and extremely expensive - between £70K and £120K - which doesn't encourage a large or diverse entry into the system.

The effects of flying on your body

Image by Orna from Pixabay

When jetting off for a holiday, it’s unlikely your primary concern will be how the flight is going to affect you physically. However, flying can produce a surprising number of reactions in the average human body. In this article, Artemis Aerospace looks at some of them, and discusses how they can be overcome.

The human race isn’t in its natural element soaring through the air, so perhaps it’s understandable that our bodies might protest a little. However, if you look more closely into the many different reactions flying can produce, it’s worth taking a moment to discover the best way to alleviate them, so you arrive fighting fit at your destination.

Changes to Circadian rhythm

This is probably the issue which affects flyers most. Circadian rhythm is a natural process which governs the cycle of sleeping and waking every day. It’s primed to ensure the body’s functions are re-energised at optimal points during a 24-hour period and works primarily on the day-to-night cycle. On a flight, particularly a long-haul one, this cycle is interrupted, leading to a reduced amount of sleep, and the sleep which is achieved tends to be more fragmented and of lower quality. It’s commonly known as jet lag. There’s no cure for it, but experts recommend easing yourself into your destination time zone a few days prior to your flight, avoiding caffeine and alcohol while on board, and using a mask and earplugs to help you sleep. Some welcome news is that research suggests around one in three people may not get jet lag at all.

Increased risk of DVT

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is often mentioned as a hazard for flyers, but it’s not the flight itself that is the problem; it’s the fact that you’re likely to be sedentary for lengthy periods of time - you can just as easily end up with it from a long car journey. To reduce your risk of DVT, the most important thing to do is get up and move around the cabin at regular intervals, and move your legs about while sitting down, although not to the extent that you annoy your neighbour! Wearing compression socks, which help increase the blood flow to the heart, is recommended on long flights.

Straighten up and fly right .....

Image by Orna from Pixabay

When jetting off for a holiday, it’s unlikely your primary concern will be how the flight is going to affect you physically. However, flying can produce a surprising number of reactions in the average human body. In this article, Artemis Aerospace looks at some of them, and discusses how they can be overcome.

The human race isn’t in its natural element soaring through the air, so perhaps it’s understandable that our bodies might protest a little. However, if you look more closely into the many different reactions flying can produce, it’s worth taking a moment to discover the best way to alleviate them, so you arrive fighting fit at your destination.

Changes to Circadian rhythm

This is probably the issue which affects flyers most. Circadian rhythm is a natural process which governs the cycle of sleeping and waking every day. It’s primed to ensure the body’s functions are re-energised at optimal points during a 24-hour period and works primarily on the day-to-night cycle. On a flight, particularly a long-haul one, this cycle is interrupted, leading to a reduced amount of sleep, and the sleep which is achieved tends to be more fragmented and of lower quality. It’s commonly known as jet lag. There’s no cure for it, but experts recommend easing yourself into your destination time zone a few days prior to your flight, avoiding caffeine and alcohol while on board, and using a mask and earplugs to help you sleep. Some welcome news is that research suggests around one in three people may not get jet lag at all.

Increased risk of DVT

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is often mentioned as a hazard for flyers, but it’s not the flight itself that is the problem; it’s the fact that you’re likely to be sedentary for lengthy periods of time - you can just as easily end up with it from a long car journey. To reduce your risk of DVT, the most important thing to do is get up and move around the cabin at regular intervals, and move your legs about while sitting down, although not to the extent that you annoy your neighbour! Wearing compression socks, which help increase the blood flow to the heart, is recommended on long flights.

AOG – the technical faults which can ground a plane

Aircraft on ground delay – words to strike dread into anyone connected with the aviation industry. In this article, Artemis Aerospace looks at the most common technical faults which cause a plane to be taken out of service, and what can be done to get it back up in the sky as quickly as possible.

Approximately $6 billion is lost per year in the airline industry due to an AOG situation. Every minute an aircraft is idle on the ground awaiting repairs, it’s haemorrhaging money for its owner or operator and causing a serious back-up of passengers across the world missing important meetings, family occasions and holidays. Aircraft have extensive and tightly regulated maintenance programmes, but when a plane such as a Boeing 747-8 comprises 6 million components (according to Lufthansa) there will inevitably be occasions when unscheduled technical faults occur. So, what are the most common technical faults which cause an AOG delay, and how long does it take to fix them?

There’s a sliding scale in terms of the seriousness of an aircraft malfunction, from post-inspection failure to instrument failure to critical issues such as sudden cabin decompression, landing gear failure or engine failure. In the vast majority of these cases, potential faults are discovered before they become an issue, during normal maintenance. Aircraft are required to undergo regulatory inspections every six to eight months and between every 400 to 600 hours. In the event of a mechanical fault happening mid-flight, a skilled crew should still be able to bring the plane down safely for repairs to be carried out. Whatever the situation in which a fault becomes apparent, however, the aircraft is immediately grounded.

Many mechanical issues are fairly basic and easily corrected. Most manufacturers of components for aeroplanes have thorough diagnostic routines to enable mechanics to identify issues rapidly and methodically.

Landing gear extension and retraction failure happens twice as often as engine problems on commercial aircraft. It can be due to low temperatures freezing the gear into the retracted position or being jammed by inadequate lubrication and an excess of dust or sand in the mechanism.

Cabin crew – not just drinks and duty free

Photo  https://www.istockphoto.com/portfolio/1shotproduction?mediatype=photography

Every plane journey begins and ends with a cheerful smile from the cabin crew, and throughout the trip they will be on hand to ensure your comfort and safety. Artemis Aerospace investigates a career with rigorous training which ranges from serving drinks to saving lives.

	You may think that a career as a cabin crew member involves little more than looking immaculately turned-out while wielding the tea urn and calculating the duty-free allowance. However, it’s a job which requires stamina and initiative as well as good grooming. If you’re thinking about applying for a cabin crew job, the list of necessary attributes is a lengthy one. You need to be a team player, have excellent communications, time management, interpersonal and customer service skills, be able to stay calm and smiling under pressure, be adaptable, flexible, as well as fit and healthy. In addition, cabin crew work long, irregular and anti-social hours which will often include weekends, holidays and night shifts. As a result, cabin crew training is extremely intensive and, depending on the airline, the pass rate is around 95%, which leaves no room for error or carelessness. For the large commercial carriers, such as British Airways, training lasts for four to six weeks, and is often preceded by preparation to bring entrants up to speed, such as researching terminology, airport codes, the phonetic alphabet and time differences. Around 2,000 aspiring cabin crew will attend BA’s training centre every year, and, having passed, each member will return annually for a refresher course. Customer service is at the heart of the job. BA’s Customer Service Course includes modules on: Setting the tone Creating a good impression Uniform and appearance Fundamentals of communication Listening skills Transactional analysis Building relationships Getting to know your customers and their needs Service recovery Feedback Practical exercises If there’s an emergency during the flight, it’s the job of the cabin crew to keep passengers safe. Training involves operation of all the on-board safety apparatus, including firefighting equipment, and advanced first aid which covers the use of defibrillators and CPR. Confined conditions on a plane mean this is a more complicated process than it would be on the ground. By the end of training, a cabin crew member should be able to assess a passenger’s condition, identify the injury or illness, give the correct treatment, prevent deterioration and assist recovery until the plane can land and transfer them to hospital. In July 2022, cabin crew from Emirates Airlines saved two separate passengers from cardiac arrest on different flights; using a defibrillator and CPR techniques they kept both passengers stable until the planes were able to land. However, it’s far more common for cabin crew to have to deal with fainting, respiratory issues or nausea. They also have to be up to speed with procedures to restrain aggressive or drunken passengers, and conflict management techniques to resolve issues between passengers which may become heated. Other essential training involves learning about the safety of the aircraft and the emergency procedures. Different situations are taught and repeatedly rehearsed so that response becomes second nature. Decompression is what happens when the aircraft’s pressurisation system fails to maintain its correct pressure, and it can be caused by a system malfunction or structural damage to the aircraft such as a faulty door seal. A cabin crew member’s first duty in this situation is to don their own oxygen mask in order to ensure they are able to look after passengers during an emergency descent to a safe altitude of 10,000 feet, and ensure everyone’s oxygen masks are worn. The crew themselves will have portable oxygen cylinders so they are able to move around the cabin to help anyone who needs it.