NGFT
Breaking the Silos:
Why Aviation Safety Data Could Use a New Approach
In aviation, especially within the helicopter industry, safety is everything. Yet small helicopter operators frequently find themselves operating in the dark, lacking sufficient data to perform in-depth safety analyses. This gap isn't just inconvenient — it creates a real risk. Don’t get me wrong. All the operators I know have Safety in their DNA. Their commitment to Safety is beyond any doubt, but ...
The Challenges
Smaller operators face several key challenges:
1. Limited Data for Analysis: With fewer operations, smaller companies naturally generate fewer incident reports, leaving them unable to accurately identify and address potential risks. Don’t even think about statistical analysis.
2. Lack of Sophisticated IT Systems: Many smaller companies don't use advanced IT solutions. Instead, they rely on manual documentation methods, which creates a heavy administrative burden, often resulting in incomplete reporting. Also, fragmented, unstructured data is not suitable to identify any trends or hot spots.
3. Compliance-Focused Authorities: Aviation authorities frequently emphasize paperwork and strict compliance. Inspectors’ reactions to reported incidents can unintentionally discourage operators from transparent reporting, ultimately undermining the industry's overall safety.
4. Practicality of OEM Data: While Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) often gather extensive safety data, their recommendations and data might not always align practically with the real-world operational constraints of smaller operators, further complicated by limited resources and basic IT infrastructure.
5. Lack of Neutral Data Exchange Platforms: There is currently no widely trusted, neutral platform for helicopter operators to securely exchange safety-related data. This isolates operators, forcing each company to navigate similar safety issues independently. Heli- Offshore represents a positive exception, but broader, more inclusive solutions are still needed.
It's Time for Change
Today’s technology enables us to address these challenges head-on. We have the tools and capability to develop intuitive, user-friendly Safety Management Systems (SMS) specifically designed for small- to medium-sized helicopter operators. Imagine a platform that allows operators to easily anonymize and securely share incident reports and safety-related data, fostering a culture of openness without sacrificing privacy or trust. Such a shared platform would:
- Provide robust data analysis opportunities for smaller operators, allowing them to proactively
manage risks. - Reduce the documentation burden through easy-to-use digital tools.
- Encourage greater transparency by minimizing fear of punitive consequences from
authorities. - Enable practical application of OEM safety data by making it more accessible and relevant to
real operational scenarios. - Facilitate learning across operators through shared experiences, significantly enhancing
industry-wide safety.