Page 29 - Forum-2021-JanToMarch

NEWS ROUNDUP

In July 2020, a team of researchers, engineers, and a drone Curran Retires as GCAA Chief Air Accident Investigator
pilot from TU Delft traveled to an air base in Germany for a
week of test flight, together with a team from Airbus. For the “On behalf of the United Arab Emirates General Civil Aviation Au-
maiden flight of a scale model, Ph.D. candidate Nando van thority [GCAA], we wish Tom Curran a well-deserved retirement
Arnhem was the drone pilot of the project team. He controlled from his chief air accident investigator position. There is much to
the scaled flight model via radio link. His task was to take off mention about a person who has spent his entire career con-
and fly a number of test maneuvers and approaches until the tributing to aviation safety,” said Middle East and North African
batteries were nearly empty and then land. The goals were to Society of Air Safety Investigators (MENASASI) President Khalid
show that the aircraft can perform a sustained flight based on Walid Al Raisi.
predicted flight mechanical behavior and to obtain an initial Curran is an experienced airline manager whose career has
dataset of its flight characteristics. And Nando succeeded. The spanned aeronautical engineering, air safety management,
scaled model made a successful maiden flight. accident investigation, quality systems, and emergency response
The flight generated a lot of interesting data and knowledge, planning.
such as In August 2012, he took up the position of senior air accident in-
• rotation on takeoff was performed easily and occurred at a vestigator with the air accident investigation Sector in the GCAA,
speed of 80 kilometers per hour. based in Abu Dhabi. In 2015, Curran was promoted to chief air
• The plane’s thrust was good, and flight speeds and angles accident investigator. He has been responsible for leading inves-
were as predicted. tigations as the investigator-in-charge, and among many other
responsibilities was the creative force and editor of The Investiga-
• The aircraft’s center of gravity was located slightly more tor safety magazine, which has contributed to promoting accident
toward the rear than had been calculated in advance. investigation as a primary source for improving air safety.
For the test flight, the team put extra weight into the nose Curran was the co-founder, with Ismaeil Al Hosani, the former
and placed the landing gear a little bit further to the front of assistant director general-Air Accident Investigation Sector, of
the aircraft. If the center of gravity isn’t in the right location, MENASASI as a chapter of ISASI. Al Hosani was the first president
the aircraft can become unstable. of MENASASI, and Curran held the position of secretary until
During the test week, the team had to repair the antenna to recently. He is a committed member of ISASI and was honored
improve the telemetry. to hold the position of chair of the committee responsible for the
The current design shows “wobbling”—in technical terms, ISASI annaual seminar that was held in Dubai in 2018.
Dutch roll. This makes it difficult to keep the wings level and Curran’s experience in the civil aviation industry is well rec-
causes the aircraft to have a somewhat rough landing. Aerody- ognized. He joined the staff of the Aer Lingus Air Safety Office in
namic calculations had predicted this behavior, but now that is 1990, following 22 years in aeronautical engineering and aviation
has been demonstrated in a real flight, the team will be able to safety roles. In 2003, he assumed responsibility for the Aer Lingus
adjust the aircraft accordingly. safety management system and accident prevention and flight
With the collected data from the first flight, the team will be safety program as head of air safety, reporting directly to the
able to make an aerodynamic model of the scaled flight model. chief executive and the board on all matters involving air safety
This model makes it possible to calculate exactly in what ways management and emergency response planning. Curran has also
the scale model will need to be adapted. The team will also played a significant part in supporting aviation family assistance
prepare the aircraft for new flight tests. since its beginning in the mid-1990s. Family assistance plays a
vital part in the humanitarian response to an accident.
On his retirement, Curran would like to offer his very best wish-
es for the future to all of his friends and colleagues, particularly
those at Aer Lingus, the GCAA, MENASASI, ISASI, and various
family-assistance organizations
Khalid Walid Al Raisi concluded, “Our ways may part, but our
minds will still think the same. We wish him a happy and healthy
life, surrounded by his family and friends.”

News from Australia
Australian Society (ASASI) President John Guselli reported
that, thankfully, 2020 has come to a close. The ASASI member-
ship continued to function despite the massive cutbacks to the
industry and the uncertainty of when normal operations will re-
sume again. He noted that vaccines are being distributed, which
provide some hope for the future.
Gusellli said that ASASI has been fortunate to see increases in
A scale model of the Flying-V on the runway during flight testing. membership. Four student members joined from RMIT University
January-March 2021 ISASI Forum • 29