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The Foundation offers other safety services, either individually or in
combination:
- Safety Program Design and Development — The
benefits to the operator of an in-house, proactive safety program are
evident worldwide. Some regulatory authorities now require that operators
establish such programs. Services to help operators develop programs
for the entire organization or for specific organizational elements
include these areas:
- Program elements — Goals, philosophy, design, functions,
policies, procedures, communications, motivations, corporate safety
culture;
- Staffing — Job descriptions, qualifications, duties, training;
- Data systems — Sources, collection, analysis, problem identification,
trend identification, networking with outside data systems;
- Operator’s safety database — Recommendations for standardized
personal computer program;
- Operator internal audits — Under the safety program or other
organization programs/elements;
- Program outputs — Decision making, implementing improvements,
implementing interventions, tracking progress, communicating results;
- Contingency plans for accidents and incidents — Part of the
safety program or under other organizational programs/elements;
- Implementation — Providing staff training, program refinements;
and,
- Historical aviation data — Sources for accident, incident
and mishap data;
- Regulatory Compliance Audit of Operator or Independent Maintenance
Organization — The compliance status of an operator or
maintenance organization can be determined to prepare for a scheduled
regulatory inspection or on a periodic basis by auditing its adherence
to applicable regulations. A detailed report presents findings of regulation
compliance and noncompliance by the client. Depending on the specific
regulations under which a client operates, the scope of the audit could
include any of the following:
- Regulations and standards — U.S. Federal Aviation Regulations
Part 91, 119, 121, 125, 127, 129, 135, 145; Joint Aviation Requirements
OPS, 145; International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 6
Parts 1, 2, 3; dangerous/hazardous materials regulations; national
regulations; industry standards;
- Organizational requirements — Structure, programs, departments,
management personnel and qualifications, responsibilities and duties,
civil aviation organization operating authority and operations specifications;
- Flight operations and engineering/maintenance functions —
Programs, policies, procedures, manuals, planning and scheduling,
contract support services, surveillance and analysis program, periodic
audits, observation of operations, records adequacy and accuracy;
- Training programs for flight, cabin and maintenance personnel —
Management, instruction quality, records, equipment;
- Records and documentation — Inspection, review and verification
of performance records and integrity; procedures and systems; currency
of data and material;
- Physical inspections — Aircraft configuration and airworthiness,
facilities, support equipment; and,
- Task performance observations — Flight, maintenance, training;
- Review of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Safety Oversight
— ICAO requirements are incumbent on member states, and some CAAs
have been found lacking in meeting these obligations. A review team
determines the extent of the CAA’s conformance to the ICAO requirements.
The team then reports any changes needed to meet the CAA’s obligations.
The review includes these key areas and functional requirements:
- Organization — Establishing source of regulatory authority,
organizational structure/management/policies/staffing/training, technical
data, communications with manufacturers and CAAs;
- National safety regulations — Conformance to ICAO articles
and annexes; advisory material, public access and availability, regulations
review and updating, mandatory airworthiness modifications;
- Supervisor/inspector — Qualifications, experience, duties,
initial and recurrent training;
- Technical personnel licensing or validation program — Examination
(written and practical), reciprocity licensing and recognition;
- Various certification/approval programs — Aircraft registration,
airworthiness certification, granting authority for airline, charter,
training, engineering/maintenance;
- Monitoring and surveillance capability — Scheduled and unscheduled
inspections, procedures, forms, trend analysis;
- Enforcement policies and procedures — Program elements, legal
authority, investigative techniques, investigative training; and,
- Accident/incident investigations — Authority, policies, procedures,
training, forms and required investigative equipment;
- Contingency Planning for Aircraft Accidents and Incidents
— To ensure that an operator is prepared to deal with a serious
accident or incident, assistance is provided to clients formulating
contingency plans for these occurrences. Consultation also can be provided
in the aftermath of an accident. Advisory services are provided to operators
in these areas:
- Emergency situation response — Responsibilities, assignments,
policies, plans, procedures, guidelines, forms, definitions;
- Training operator’s staff — Preparation for accident
investigation or for conducting contingency plans;
- Media and public relations — Advice and guidelines on communicating
information in emergency-related situations;
- Official notification requirements — National CAA (e.g.,
U.S. Federal Aviation Administration [FAA]), national accident-investigation
organization (e.g., U.S. National Transportation Safety Board) and
insurance carrier(s);
- Employee considerations — Guidance in helpful, sensitive
response to employees and their families immediately following an
accident, and recommended resources for follow-ups in cases of post-traumatic
stress; and,
- Postaccident consulting — Objective, nonjudgmental guidance
during an ongoing investigation; and,
- Assessment of Aircraft Airworthiness — Aircraft
owners, operators and other involved parties sometimes require a qualified,
impartial third-party airworthiness assessment (as distinguished from
a financial evaluation). This service includes:
- Airworthiness determination — Confirmation that an aircraft
meets approved type-certificate design standards and is in a condition
for safe operation;
- Aircraft — Physical inspection of interior and exterior,
including airframe, powerplant(s), systems, emergency equipment;
- Records and documentation review — Required maintenance and
overhaul records, logbooks, service bulletin status, mandatory inspection/modification
and airworthiness directive status, major repairs and alterations,
aging-aircraft status, corrosion control programs, noise and emissions
certification status; and,
- Final report — Assessment findings, safety recommendations,
photographic documentation of physical inspection results.
In addition to the safety services described above, the Foundation is
uniquely qualified to provide the following services on an ad hoc basis:
- Assist airlines in implementing FOQA programs — The Foundation
conducted a major study for the FAA of flight operational quality assurance
(FOQA) programs, which use recorded flight data to enhance flight safety
by identifying systemic problems in aircraft fleets, aviation personnel
and maintenance;
- Improve flight operations manuals, maintenance manuals and checklists
— The process begins with a comprehensive critique of existing
documents, including in-depth interviews with personnel who use them
daily. Based on the critique’s findings, the documents are upgraded
by editing, reorganizing and redesigning, with error reduction and enhanced
safety the primary considerations. The result is greater clarity, consistency
and ease of use;
- Provide a constructive review of operator flight crew operational
standards and pilot training programs — Because of increasing
complexity and requirements, adjustments or restructuring may be needed.
The Foundation can provide an objective review, thereby increasing safety
margins;
- Design operator internal safety audit programs — The Foundation
can offer assistance in such programs based on its own extensive experience
and in accordance with appropriate regulatory guidance; and,
- Train operator and civil regulatory inspectors in cabin-safety inspection
and surveillance of flight attendant safety performance — The
Foundation can prepare and qualify personnel to conduct such tasks.
For more information about FSF aviation safety services, or to request
a detailed, customized proposal for a specific safety service, contact:
Flight Safety Foundation, Safety Services Department, 601 Madison Street,
Suite 300, Alexandria, Virginia 22314-1756 U.S.A. Telephone +1 (703) 739-6700,
extension 111; fax +1 (703) 739-6708.
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