Regulators, insurers and experts are warning airlines to take extra care when reactivating planes left in extended storage during the COVID-19 pandemic, citing potential pilot rustiness, maintenance errors and even insect nests blocking key sensors, Reuters reported. The unprecedented number of aircraft grounded as coronavirus lockdowns blocked air travel —at one point reaching two-thirds of the global fleet — has created a spike in the number of reported problems as airlines return them to service. The number of “unstabilised” or poorly handled approaches has risen sharply this year, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Such mishaps can result in hard landings, runway overshoots or even crashes. Worried by IATA’s data, insurers are questioning airlines about whether they are doing extra pilot training to focus on landings, said Gary Moran, head of Asia aviation at insurance broker Aon PLC.
