The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) yesterday announced rule changes that are to require Taiwanese carriers traveling over oceans to report their position every 15 minutes under certain conditions — a requirement prompted by the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 on March 8, 2014.
The revised Aircraft Flight Operation Regulations (航空器飛航作業管理規則) stipulate that, beginning on Nov. 8, all aircraft with a takeoff mass of 45,500kg or more that fly oceanic routes must apply aircraft tracking every 15 minutes, compared with the present 60-minute interval, the CAA said.
The new rule would make it possible for airlines to more closely track the latitude, longitude and altitude of their aircraft, CAA Flight Standards Division director Clark Lin (林俊良) said.
Carriers must also ensure that the position of an aircraft can be determined at least once every minute when in distress, such as when there is smoke in the cabin or engine failure, Lin said.
The amendment is in line with the Global Aircraft Tracking Initiatives adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in the wake of the Malaysia Airlines flight’s disappearance after it took off from Kuala Lumpur.
The ICAO has been tightening global aviation standards since the disaster, when the aircraft went missing less than an hour after takeoff, Lin said.
Another Aircraft Flight Operation Regulations safety measure, which took effect on Jan. 1, requires aircraft to upgrade their safety operations.
Aircraft with a seating capacity of more than 19 and a takeoff mass of 27,000kg or more that are to operate across 400 nautical miles (740.8km) or more of ocean, have to install a locator beacon that works underwater.
The beacon, which would be fixed on the main body of the aircraft, would complement a traditional flight recorder, which is often located at the tail of an aircraft, Lin said, adding that should an aircraft break apart in an accident, the beacon would increase the chances of finding it.
However, there is a grace period for airlines to complete the modification, because they have to ask the aircraft manufacturers to help them do it, he said.
China Airlines and EVA Airways, Taiwan’s two major carriers, said they would follow all safety enhancements required by aviation authorities.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated
Myanmar has turned down an offer of assistance from Taiwanese search-and-rescue teams after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the nation on Friday last week, saying other international aid is sufficient, the National Fire Agency said yesterday. More than 1,700 have been killed and 3,400 injured in the quake that struck near the central Myanmar city of Mandalay early on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a magnitude 6.7 aftershock. Worldwide, 13 international search-and-rescue teams have been deployed, with another 13 teams mobilizing, the agency said. Taiwan’s search-and-rescue teams were on standby, but have since been told to stand down, as
RSS