Although the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of the Inspector General (IG) believes the FAA has made progress on safety issues, it says the agency must expand and enhance the reliability of its key data sources. A DOT report issued last week says, for example, that the FAA faces challenges with establishing an effective risk-based oversight system for repair stations and aircraft manufacturers.
Risk assessment
October 1, 2012 - 4:10am
Helicopter EMS provider Air Evac Lifeteam has entered the third level of the FAA’s safety management system (SMS) voluntary pilot project. Air Evac has 110 bases in 15 states and has been enrolled in the pilot project since February 2010. Dave Hardin, Air Evac’s director of safety, characterizes the company’s participation in the pilot project as a “challenging, but beneficial, process in the interest of safety.” Air Evac is only the third Part 135 operator to progress beyond Level 2, according to the FAA.
July 9, 2012 - 2:48pm
The International Helicopter Safety Team (IHST) has expanded its library of safety tools with 11 new documents for pilots, mechanics and operators. The tool kits and safety leaflets focus on four primary areas the team believes will help reduce helicopter accidents. These include safety management, training, maintenance and equipment/technology.
April 23, 2012 - 6:44pm
Flight risk assessment tools (FRATs) could help alleviate a common human-factors conundrum.
March 30, 2010 - 5:35am
The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) launched RA Check, an FAA-endorsed flight-risk assessment tool (Frat) designed to consider the
March 11, 2010 - 11:13am
The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) launched RA Check, an FAA-endorsed flight-risk assessment tool (Frat) designed to consider the probability, severity and weighted value of 38 leading accident causal factors.
February 19, 2010 - 5:23am
In response to the rash of helicopter accidents experienced over the past few years by the medical transport industry, the National Emergency Medical Services Pilots Association (Nemspa) has rolled out a new safety/risk assessment plan known as the “No Pressure Initiative.”
August 11, 2008 - 9:00am
The world didn’t necessarily become a more dangerous place on Sept. 11, 2001, but the terrorist attacks that day impressed upon business travelers just how dangerous the world can be. The knee-jerk reaction of many companies was to ban all employees from flying on company business.
October 2, 2007 - 11:15am
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA)–with the assistance of the general aviation industry–is developing a Transportation Risk Assessment and Vulnerability Evaluation Tool that will allow general aviation airport operators to assess the vulnerability to terrorism of their individual facilities and respond accordingly.
August 29, 2007 - 9:50am
A new Information for Operators dealing with risk assessment was released last month, specifically focusing on how it relates to a safety-management system. The tool discusses the various risks associated with a flight, how to handle them and what may be considered an acceptable risk.
