Scheduled air traffic increased by about 8 per cent worldwide last year, despite the economic slow-down experienced in the Asia/Pacific region, and airline revenues are estimated to have reached $291 billion for the first time, resulting in an operating profit of over $16 billion. A review of the year's developments begins on page 10.

Most of our features this month focus on aeronautical meteorology, including three articles that look at inflight turbulence and the efforts to improve the forecasting of this sometimes invisible weather hazard.

Included among this month's features on airport operations and development are two articles on bird-strike prevention. While most bird strikes have little or no effect on aircraft, statistics compiled by ICAO show that 11 per cent of strikes cause some damage and a very few endanger safety, occasionally leading to a fatal accident.

The 32nd Session of the ICAO Assembly held recently in Montreal will probably be remembered most for its decision to establish a universal safety oversight audit programme, but other key issues at the forefront of its agenda included environmental protection, implementation of the worldwide air navigation system and, with the change of century not far away, measures to address possible year 2000 computer date change problems.

Ten years ago this month Pan Am Flight 103 was destroyed over Lockerbie, Scotland by an improvised explosive device concealed in a radio cassette player. The act of terrorism galvanized the world to take action, and many of the security deficiencies identified by the Lockerbie tragedy have now been addressed. A report on the implementation of stronger security measures in the United Kingdom begins on page 4.

Our capability to disseminate information about the trajectory of tropical cyclones has improved in recent years with the implementation of a worldwide warning system.

Controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) is the leading type of air transport accident today, with 17 such accidents reported worldwide during the 1991-9S period alone. A number of articles this month focus on this serious issue, and describe workable prevention strategies.

Comprehensive simulation programmes such as the total airport and airspace modeller (TAAM) can help evaluate existing designs and proposed changes to airports and airspace systems at a fraction of the cost of building or modifying them. Recent TAAM simulations include studies related to free flight.

Approved last year for use in commercial passenger aircraft, the enhanced GPWS developed by AlliedSignal displays the location of threatening terrain. Our cover photo was taken on an Airbus A320 shortly after take-off southbound from San Francisco, with the EFIS range set to 160 NM. Red areas represent terrain that is 2,000 feet above the aircraft. Yellow indicates terrain that is 1,000 to 2,000 feet above.

A student receives instruction at an aircraft system trainer in the Bombardier Aerospace Training Centre, Montreal. Several articles this month focus on training issues, including the need for aviation professionals to be trained to the same high standard worldwide.

As noted in the special report beginning on page 5, the air transport industry in 1995 continued to show signs of improving health. The upturn in its financial performance has reached a significant height, with the world's airlines posting an operating profit of about $14 billion last year.

Airlines continued to perform well last year as strong traffic growth exceeded increases in capacity offered, and the passenger load factor on scheduled services increased by one percentage point to 68 per cent. A review of the year's developments, including numerous statistics, begins on page 5.