As AS3 got started on
what certainly appears to be a record year for this event, NATA
president James K. Coyne has announced the launch of a new,
industry-wide risk management program with the goal of reducing
ground-related accidents by 50 percent over the next five
years.
Speaking at the opening General Session of the AS3 tradeshow in
Las Vegas, Coyne (below, right) said that the program envisions
creating a "zero tolerance" culture where safety on the ground
equals that in the air.
"The foundation of our new initiative is the creation of a
Safety Management System for FBOs, air charter operators,
maintenance and flight-training providers and airline service
companies," explained Coyne. "NATA will create a Web-based program
whereby any company can securely manage its internal safety
reporting and analysis without needing to create its own
software."
Simat Helliesen & Eichner (SH&E) has been retained to
help NATA develop this initiative. SH&E is a leading consulting
firm in the aviation industry with experience carrying out
high-level assignments for airports, airlines, repair stations and
FBOs worldwide. The firm's experience includes safety, security and
operations, auditing and IT-based solutions.
"NATA's vision for a
comprehensive fix to many long-standing safety issues is a welcome
step for aviation businesses," stated Lou Sorrentino, SH&E vice
president and managing director of the firm's Safety, Security and
Operations practice. Sorrentino will head the project for
SH&E.
One of the first priorities of this program is to create a
mechanism for benchmarking accidents and incidents. "The only way
to know where we're going, is to know where we've been," Coyne
said. For the first time, major aviation insurers have all
indicated a willingness to work with the association to create a
standard, sanitized database to track claims and benchmark
progress. Claims information will be gathered quarterly, and
analysis will be disseminated to the industry.
Development of the program is being supported by donations from
major stakeholders including United States Aviation Underwriters,
Global Aerospace, Phoenix Aviation Managers, W. Brown and
Associates, XL Aerospace, ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips and AirBP
Aviation. Other major stakeholders are expected to join the effort
shortly, Coyne said.
Harold Clark, USAU chairman, said that "changes in the operating
environment demand service providers take a broader risk management
approach than in the past, including using the NATA Safety 1st
program." These changes include the enactment of GARA, which has
transferred certain risks to aircraft maintainers; the aging fleet,
the escalation of liability awards, reduced operator limits, more
sophisticated insurance, the higher costs of material and labor and
complex contractual relationships.
"To further reduce risk, address costs, improve safety and grow
profitably, companies need to adopt a comprehensive risk management
approach to virtually every aspect of their business," Clark
said.
Other first-year
objectives include establishing a fee-based safety audit program,
developing a self-audit for aviation businesses, producing a risk
management seminar for service providers and aircraft operators,
creating an education and marketing program to educate the industry
on the benefits of a Safety Management System and producing a video
program on ramp communications for flight crews and ramp
employees.
To oversee the implementation of the program, NATA will
establish a Stakeholder Advisory Board to ensure that all aspects
of improving ground operations are addressed. In addition, NATA
will seek support from the other aviation organizations whose
members are impacted by ground operations.