The sponsor has presented plans to address these impacts to ensure that the proposed project will upon implementation of the specific measures agreed, comply with applicable host country laws and regulations and World Bank/IFC requirements. The information about how these potential impacts will be addressed by the sponsor/project is summarized in the paragraphs that follow.
Aircraft Operations Safety
IFC''s technical consultant found VDA to be a competent and professional airline. Its crews and maintenance personnel are subject to training that equals or exceeds most Western airlines. The Flight Safety Department reports directly to the Director General and performs safety assurance inspections to the ISO 9000 audit standard. Operations control is accomplished by a team providing 24-hour coverage in the operations department in Ul''ryanovsk. This team monitors the progress of the aircraft worldwide, watches the technical status of each aircraft, and monitors flight crew duty hours.
VDA has modified its An-124-100 aircraft to comply with current international airworthiness regulations and standards. This includes the installation of Traffic Collision and Avoidance Systems (TCAS), Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and 8.33 MHz radio frequencies. This modification provides the aircraft with operating capabilities comparable to Western commercial aircraft and will be completed on the whole fleet by the end of March 2001; the two new aircraft will be similarly equipped. VDA employs a sophisticated data recording system to monitor in-flight operations.
VDA’s crew training levels are comparable to Western airlines. Crews undergo eight weeks of ground school during which time they cover aircraft technical systems, international air traffic, English language training, flight safety awareness, hazardous material handling and Cockpit Resource Management (CRM). The ground school phase is followed by aircraft training and that, in turn, is followed by 15 flight segments under instruction. The intensive Initial Operating Experience (IOE) reflects the unusual and very demanding nature of VDA’s operations.
VDA has a relatively good accident record for a non-scheduled, charter airline that operates under demanding conditions. The company has had only one significant aircraft accident in its ten years of operation; this was a non-fatal incident and the aircraft was not a total loss. This aircraft is currently undergoing repairs and upgrading. Other incidents, none serious, have included component failures, taxiing collisions, and lightning strikes.
Aircraft Maintenance and Servicing
VDA’s aircraft maintenance and servicing program meets Russian FAA requirements and is called the Manual of Procedures. This document contains the basic policies and procedures that VDA technical staff is to follow and is made available in all departments. VDA’s primary technical service base is at Shannon, Ireland, where most of the non-heavy maintenance checks are completed. At Shannon, VDA has support workshops, including comprehensive avionics test shops, a tire and brake shop, and a filter cleaning shop with an oil analysis capability. Defective components are returned to Ul´yanovsk for shipment to overhaul or repair agencies. The 6,000-hour heavy maintenance checks are performed at the Aviastar facilities in
Ul´yanovsk, using a joint team of Aviastar and VDA personnel.
Environmental Protection at Maintenance sites
Solid and liquid waste disposal, as well as disposal of solvents and other hazardous materials at VDA’s Shannon workshops are handled through a contract with a licensed local waste handling company. The maintenance facility is equipped with showers and changing rooms, and personnel are provided with protective equipment such as gloves, headphones, boots, and special uniforms. Fire prevention and emergency response are handled by the Shannon Airport, and all health issues are handled by regional hospital in Limerick, Ireland, fully equipped for emergency services.
Aircraft Noise and Emissions Controls
Environmental regulations concerning international commercial aircraft operations are governed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). With respect to noise, ICAO established Annex 13, Chapter Three standards that limit aircraft noise emissions beyond April 2002. An engine hushkit is an engineering package that suppresses engine noise generated by turbine and compressor blades and engine exhaust. A hushkit was developed in 1997 for the Progress ZMKB D18T engines used on all An-124-100 aircraft, and is certified as compliant with ICAO noise limits. Operational aircraft in the current fleet have already been modified.
With respect to air emissions, the ICAO Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection has mandated a decrease in Nitrous Oxide levels by 16% and to require implementation in the year 2000 for new engine designs and in 2008 for newly manufactured engines. The engines used on VDA’s An-124-100 operational aircraft have been modified and engine emissions are now below the current proposed limits.
VDA’s one non-operational An-124-100 will be in compliance when it returns to service at the end of March 2001. The two new aircraft will comply with current noise and emissions requirements.
Carrgo Handling Policy
VDA is primarily a non-scheduled, charter, cargo-only airline that transports three broad categories of cargo: general, non-standard, and unique. General cargo can be carried in standard cargo containers by traditional cargo aircraft, and includes items such as flowers, uniforms, auto parts, computers, food, and medicine. Non-standard cargo is larger items that are not easily containerized, but still within the range of conventional aircraft. This includes cargo such as automobiles, electric generators, and smaller industrial items. Unique cargo are items that only the An-124-100 can reasonably carry, and includes aircraft fuselages and wings, flight simulators, helicopters, and large or heavy (greater than 80 tons) industrial equipment.
Handling policies and procedures for the various types of cargo are elaborated in VDA’s Flight Operations Manual, including specific procedures for the handling of dangerous cargoes.