Hundreds of SAS and Norwegian ASA pilots have admitted to dozing off in the cockpit, according to a new survey. Norway’s NRK national broadcaster, which commissioned the poll, says aircrews blame long hours and poor working conditions on their inability to stay alert during flights.

In all, 206 pilots said they had fallen asleep while in charge of an aircraft, the majority of which claimed they were working 13 hour shifts or had been scheduled for four weekends in a row at the time. Working conditions were also considered to be a security risk or unsafe by 70 percent of respondents who said that commercial pressures sometimes pushed and exceeded personal limits.

An incident was reported by VG last week where an SAS captain fell asleep on a flight between Copenhagen and Stockholm while his co-pilot was in the toilet. According to the newspaper, the information came directly from a security report document.

“I became extremely tired at cruising altitude and had to fight to keep my eyes open,” the captain – who was on his fourth short-haul trip of the day – said in the report. He added that he only woke up again when his colleague rang the buzzer to get back into the cockpit.

“Fatigue is a problem on the short and medium-haul routes. Current EASA (European Air Safety Authority) rules state a 13-hour maximum,” Aleksander Wasland, deputy leader of the Norwegian Airline Pilots Association, said in a report by The Foreigner. “However, these could be revised if EU rules are harmonised, meaning perhaps even longer shifts,” Wasland added.
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Landsvirkjun has signed a new Power Purchase Agreement with Icelandic Silicon Corporation, a company where Globe Speciality Metals (NASDAQ: GSM) is majority shareholder.

According to the agreement Landsvirkjun will provide energy for the company’s new 40,000-ton silicon metal production facility in Helguvik, Southwest Iceland. The plant is expected to come online in mid-2013 and will require 65 MW of power. The agreement is structured in two phases; initially, Landsvirkjun will provide 35 MW of energy with the remaining 30 MW supplied by HS Orka. Beginning in January 2016, Landsvirkjun will supply all of the energy to the smelter.

“We have been aiming to increase the diversity of our client base. This agreement is an example of the materialisation of that strategy. Silicon metal represents a new industry in our portfolio, which we believe has good long-term prospects in Iceland where power is generated from renewable energy sources only,” said Dr. Hordur Arnarson, Landsvirkjun’s CEO.

The new contract is a long-term contract. Prices are denominated in Euros, along with fixed annual price increases. The parties have agreed to keep the price confidential at present time. The agreement is subject to standard conditions precedent, including approval of both companies’ Boards of Directors and for few other conditions that Icelandic Silicon Corporation will complete no later than June 15th 2011.
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