Archive
OUTLINE OF COMMENTS BEFORE
NATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION REVIEW COMMISSION
presented by Captain David Haase, Executive Central Air Safety Chairman
SAFETY PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
Safety/Quality Assurance Programs are needed at individual airlines
- The concept of safety management and quality assurance is basic and fundamental, yet
many operators do not have such programs
- There is a need for formal programs to assess risk and institute mitigation measures.
- These programs allow an operator to determine what is actually happening in
"real" world by using:
- Data Collection
- Information Sharing Exchange
- Within the program, a comparison of actual performance to established standards can then
be conducted
- If desired performance is not up to specification
- recommendations to address deficiencies are identified and instituted
- performance is monitored to determine if the corrective action was successful
- These programs are essential to all operations functions within a carrier, but
particularly for flight operations and aircraft maintenance/overhaul
The FAA should require pro-active safety programs along with some of the measuring
tools needed for data collection.
- Data collection tools include the following:
- Partnership programs allowing for voluntary disclosure of safety related events.
- FOQA ( to extent resources allow)
- Internal Audit Programs for the carrier and its code sharing partners
- These pro-active programs require a defined management structure to function effectively
- The FARs require "Director of Safety" Position
- The responsibilities of that position are not yet defined by the FAA
- Data collection and overall program safety program management should be responsibility
of a "Director of Safety"
FAA 90 DAY SAFETY REVIEW
The Focus of this Review was FAA Surveillance and Oversight
- The overall purpose was to determine how the FAA could improve its Surveillance and
Oversight of:
- Flight Operations
- Maintenance
- The concern was how the FAA could make improvements to its oversight programs
considering
- FAA Resource Limitations
- Budget Limitations
Report Recommendations of Interest
- The report indicated that aviation safety oversight requires better management of
programs
- Data collection is needed to allow analysis
- Effective data collection requires not only FAA resources but also outside resources
- Analysis of the data will provide FAA with information to allow them to deploy resources
where they are most needed
ALPA Recommends Shared Programs
- Use of Shared Programs that would allow FAA to modify direct oversight for better
effectiveness by:
- Reducing direct oversight at well established carriers with FAA approved internal
Quality Assurance Programs
- Increasing direct oversight and spending more time at newer or weaker carriers
- Implementation of internal carrier operated safety/quality assurance programs should
include:
- FOQA Programs
- Partnership Programs
- Internal Audit
FAA INTERNATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
International Representation - ALPA Global Pilot Strategy
- ALPA now represents members in U.S. and Canada, and provides services to other
associations in Europe and the Far East
- ALPA was concerned with the implementation of international code sharing agreements
- concerned about effect on membership labor agreements
- concerned about the effects on safety because many countries safety standards are less
than those in the U.S.
- ALPA developed a Global Strategy including One Level of Safety Internationally
- Designed to address the level playing field concept and effect upon safety
- Example: Flight Time/Duty Time limitations where some countries limitations are far less
restrictive than the U.S.
FAA International Responsibilities
- The Accident Risk is much higher outside the U.S./Canada/Europe/Oceania and this
disparity is of significant concern
- U.S. should lead, not follow: seek a common standard worldwide
- FAA has done this in some areas
- Example: Global Positioning Satellite program
Current FAA International Activities are Reactive Programs, Driven by Politics and
Economics
- Harmonization of Aircraft Certification Rules - driven by manufacturers cost concerns
- Already well underway
- FAA/JAA Harmonization in 14th year
- Progress has been slow but substantial
- Harmonization of Operating Rules - driven by cost concerns
- Very limited progress to date
- FAA International Aviation Safety Assessment Program (IASAP) - driven by Avianca
Accident and resulting public concern
- Affects only foreign carriers that operate into the U.S. (Part 129)
- Fully support that program
-
- ICAO Assessment Program - driven by IASAP program
- Chicago Convention Provisions not enforced
- Some states do not file differences, much less try to comply with the Standards and
Recommended Practices
- A more formal program needed
- Active FAA role in ICAO Assessment needed
The FAA Needs a Proactive Global Safety Strategy
- Examples of work FAA could do if it were proactive
- International partnership in data sharing with other regulatory agencies
- Controlled Flight Into Terrain
- More participation in already existing program developed by Flight Safety Foundation and
ICAO
- FAA was previously active, now it does not participate on the implementation team
- Many states do not require Ground Proximity Warning Systems
- Participation in development of standards for Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning Systems
- TCAS
- TCAS on freighters is not required today in U.S.
- It will be required on freighters in Europe in January 1998. In India rule to be
effective in December 1997
- ICAO proposal being developed and requires active FAA participation
- Air Carrier Airport and Facilities Assessments
- FAA cannot tell other states how to set up their airports and facilities
- FAA can require U.S. carriers to fulfill their obligation to conduct operator
assessments of destination airports and facilities.
- FAR Part 129 Oversight of Foreign Carriers
- Remove roadblocks to enforcement due to State Department and other political
considerations.
- An overall review needs to be conducted to determine how and where the FAA can be
proactive to improve safety globally
SAFETY DATA/INFORMATION PROGRAMS
Data/Information Programs Provide Valuable Safety Information
- Programs provide early warning clues to help prevent accidents
- Programs properly run have support of pilots
FOQA and Partnership Programs
- Programs are Non Punitive
- Data needs to be protected to assure it will continue to be collected and used for
safety purposes
- Punitive programs will not result in significant data collection
Cockpit Voice Recorders
- Flight Crew Privacy a major concern
- Should be used for Accident Investigation Purposes Only
- They now have special protection from public disclosure
- There should be no action that would lessen the effectiveness of the present CVR rule
Future
- Benefits of data collection have been manifold, and they are fundamental for tracking
progress toward meeting safety goals
- Build on successful present protection practices
- Provide the same special protection to Flight Recorder, FOQA and Partnership data that
is now provided to cockpit voice recorders
- Assure no degradation of present data protection and non-punitive provisions