Qantas moves closer to ultra-long-haul flights after safety approval
Qantas says its plans for ultra-long-haul flights has moved a step closer after a fatigue management system was ticked off by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, despite concerns from the pilots' union over a lack of consultation.
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) confirmed on Thursday it had approved Qantas' new fatigue risk management system (FRMS), which allows pilots to fly for more than 20 hours, having assessed it as "robust and capable" during a 12-month trial.
It is the first time CASA has allowed a commercial carrier to design its own fatigue safety systems, rather than have to abide by the regulator's stipulated mandatory breaks and other rules to ensure pilots are alert enough to fly.
Qantas said the system's approval, ticked off on Tuesday, was an important step in making its proposed ultra-long-haul "Project Sunrise" flights from Australia's east coast to London and New York a reality, by allowing it to push pilot duty limits beyond 20 hours.
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