SilverLink - Fall 2008 - (Page 12)

RISK MANAGEMENT Aviation Industry Digital Tool Box by Charles Parmley & Shane Osborn Technology has rocked the aviation world. For proof, look no further than the 4-hour Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) written exam for an Inspection Authorization rating. Bringing 21st Century Technology to Aviation program promotes a hazard reporting system that allows members of an aviation operation to report observed and potential hazards to the safety manager for review, corrective action or policy change. For small operations, a simple paper form is adequate for reporting. For large operations, you’d need to multiply that simple paper form by dozens—or even hundreds. Imagine numerous aircraft operating internationally from several facilities, with multiple pilots, maintenance, line and ofﬁce personnel. It’s easy to see how impossible it is to provide effective hazard reporting using paper forms. However, by utilizing digital, web-based hazard reporting capabilities, all you need is access to the web, along with a desktop, laptop, palm pilot, smart phone or blackberry, and you’re ready to go. With a quick login, you can submit a hazard report to your SMS from anywhere in the world. One of the newest entrants to digital reporting is the National Air Transportation Association (NATA), with their “AvSIS” program. Working in conjunction with the (FAA), NATA developed a program to meet the FAA’s Advisory Circular AC120-92 requirements for SMS hazard reporting. Through a series of drop-down menus, the program gives the user access to the data required to submit a report for their speciﬁc operation. The report is submitted with the touch of a button and, depending on the category, the hazard report is stored, broadcast to a speciﬁc group of individuals (other pilots, for example) or sent directly to the safety manager for immediate review. In addition, the program organizes and categorizes all reports for the safety manager to review and analyze and can also provide cost savings data for insurance carriers to review at renewal. Bogged Down Prior to the Federal Government’s Reduction in Paperwork Act of 1995, in order to prepare for the Inspection Authorization exam, an applicant was required to obtain necessary documentation, including a complete set of Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR), the entire library of Type Certiﬁcate Data Sheets for every aircraft ever built and the Airworthiness Directive (AD) library. Merely gathering these items required the assistance of a stout, 2-wheeled cart. But assembling the materials was only the ﬁrst step. The practical portion of the exam required completion of an AD, using data found within ﬁve huge volumes of the AD library. The entire aircraft would be researched using the same protocol necessary to perform an annual inspection. Airframes, engines, propellers, avionics, accessories, switches, hoses, seat belts, etc. were researched for possible AD deﬁcits. A thorough search could easily absorb an entire day. Off the Ground Fast forward to today. Computer technology, with search engines and digital libraries, has made it possible for the oncepainful process of performing AD research to be done in less than one hour—and with incredible accuracy and much less strain on your back! The digital age has vastly improved the aviation industry by helping customers develop and access new tools designed to improve safety, increase efﬁciency, streamline operations, ease the burden of regulatory compliance and allow huge amounts of data to be easily stored, categorized, shared and analyzed. Risk Management and Mitigation Another key element to assist customers with SMS is the development of risk management and mitigation tools. A risk proﬁle is generated after completing an extensive evaluation of the types of risks associated with a speciﬁc department’s style of operations. From this proﬁle, tools are developed to help ﬂight crews score every ﬂight to determine continued on page 30 Soaring with SMS Safety Management Systems’ (SMS) implementation has derived great beneﬁts from digital re-tooling. The SMS CONTACT CHARLES PARMLEY AT CPARMLEY@ SSGI.COM OR SHANE OSBORN AT SOSBORN @ SSGI.COM 12

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of SilverLink - Fall 2008

SilverLink - Fall 2008 Table of Contents Risk Management: Toto A Marriage Made to Last Cashier’s Check Fraud? Selection Validation Digital Tool Box When the Curtain Falls Lightning Strikes Increased Fuel Economy Employee Benefits: To Infinity & Beyond Securing Retiree Healthcare Private Client Services: Batter Up! Shaking Things Up STOLI Under Attack Client Spotlight: Bellevue University Internal Happenings: SilverStone Group Wellness Activities Group

SilverLink - Fall 2008

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