New Organization Will Consolidate FAA Safety Resources

As part of a strategy to reduce emerging aviation risks using national safety data, the FAA's Office of Aviation Safety Thursday launched a new Accident Investigation and Prevention Service that integrates the work of the Offices of Accident Investigation and Safety Analytical Services.

“This program give us better tools to spot potential safety problems and head off aviation accidents before they happen,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

“If we are going to continue to improve aviation safety, we have to be able to gather safety information from our industry and use data-driven safety programs to identify and address risks before they lead to accidents,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt.

The new organization will consolidate resources so the FAA can better understand current and emerging risks across the aviation community through the use of data from accident and incident investigations, historical accidents and incidents, and voluntarily submitted information from industry programs such as Aviation Safety Action and Flight Operational Quality Assurance programs.

The Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing program combines information from industry and government data sources to provide new insights into potential safety issues. The program has matured to the point that the FAA can now look at data from more than 73 percent of current U.S. commercial operations and identify emerging vulnerabilities and trends. Safety improvements are made not only through FAA regulations, but also through the Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST).

The Accident Investigation and Prevention Service will be headed by Jay Pardee, who most recently was the director of the Office of Safety Analytical Services. Pardee is recognized as a leader in safety data analysis. He has been a leader in CAST, which won the 2008 Robert J. Collier Trophy for achieving an unprecedented level of safety in U.S. airline operations. He is also the agency’s lead to assure that the Next Generation Air Transportation System provides enhanced levels of safety. Tony Fazio, who most recently was director of the FAA's Europe, Africa and Middle East Office in Brussels, will serve as deputy director.

FMI: www.asias.faa.gov, www.cast-safety.org