Aviation Business Journal 4th Quarter 2012 - 63

BY LINDSEY C. MCFARREN
Host Your Own
Safety Standdown!
M
&N Aviation, based in Casper, Wyoming,
hosts an annual company-wide Safety
Standdown. For two days, the company
shuts down normal operations and every
employee attends the safety event. The
company’s commitment to safety is evident when attending
this event. This year’s Safety Standdown included several
speakers from outside of M&N Aviation, all sharing a central
theme throughout the event — the importance of Standard
Operating Procedures in a safety culture.
“Developing a positive safety culture is the most crucial
aspect of a successful safety management system,” said Air
Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) Director of Safety Russ
Lawton. “It is also one of the most difficult tasks in implementing
an SMS. Holding an annual, company-wide safety
standdown is an excellent way for management to show
their employees they are committed to a culture of safety.”
M&N Aviation has registered status with the ACSF Industry
Audit Standard.
“M&N owners, management, and the flight department
as a whole are committed to conducting Part 135 operations
in accordance with best practices, which includes adhering
to the highest possible safety standards,” explained
M&N Aviation Director of Safety Marc Stirton. “A big part
of developing and sustaining the desired safety culture at
M&N has been our annual safety standdown whereby flight
operations come to a halt for a period of days. This provides
us with the opportunity to focus specifically on safety-related
industry issues and continue to refine our operations internally
through open discussions between management, pilots,
schedulers, and maintenance personnel.”
Some companies might not be able to close down for two
days (for example, those conducting emergency or air medical
operations) but most small and medium-sized air charter
operators should be able to set aside at least one day (or one
afternoon) a year to bring employees together and focus on
safety. Here are some tips to getting the most out of your
own safety standdown.
Aviation Business Journal | 4th
Quarter 2012
Schedule Outside Speakers
Ask individuals outside of your organization — a train-
ing center representative, a safety or security expert, or a
government official — to speak at your safety standdown.
You might be surprised about who is willing to attend your
event and give a presentation. Some individuals will request
payment or travel expenses while others will attend for free.
Obviously, individuals with whom you already have a working
relationship are the best to ask, but don’t be afraid to
reach outside of your normal network. You might get some
interesting folks!
One of the presenters at M&N’s 2012 Safety Standdown
was the Honorable Robert L. Sumwalt of the National
Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Sumwalt’s presentation
“Obtaining Better Compliance with Standard Operating
Procedures (SOPs): An Essential Component in Improving
Aviation Safety” focused on the importance of standardization
in the cockpit. A recent NTSB accident report stated,
“Well-designed cockpit procedures are an effective countermeasure
against operational errors, and disciplined compliance
with SOPs, including strict cockpit discipline, provides
the basis for effective crew coordination and performance.”
In a study of 37 crew-caused air carrier accidents, from 1978
to 1990, that Sumwalt cited, it was procedural error, such
as not making required callouts or failing to use appropriate
checklists, that caused 78% of the accidents reviewed. From
2001 to 2010, at least 86 turbine-powered aircraft accidents
involved:
■■
■■
Lack of adequate procedures, policies, or checklists, or
Lack of flight crew adherence to procedures, policies,
or checklists.
These 86 accidents resulted in 149 fatalities.
Although you might not be able to secure a sitting NTSB
member to present at your safety standdown, be sure to
select timely presentation topics and educated, interesting
speakers.
Continued on page 64
63
Aviation Business Journal 4th Quarter 2012

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