Resources
Since 1993, Safeskies’ biennial conferences have featured hundreds of thought-provoking presentations on all aspects of aviation safety—from domestic and international practitioners. Tapping into these presentations and other sources, this resources section will bring together some diverse perspectives to create a growing aviation safety reference centre.
Accidents and accident investigation
There is a saying that ‘aviation rules are written in blood’—they often follow accidents, especially where there are fatalities, in an attempt to improve safety. Below are some key Australian domestic accidents, many of which have led to new safety regulations.
Operations
SMS for smaller organisations
Safeskies Australia and RMIT University presented two webinars focusing on ‘SMS for smaller organisations’ in late October.
26 October 2021
The first of two webinars held by Safeskies Australia in collaboration with RMIT University Melbourne focusing on safety management systems (SMS) for smaller organisations.
Features presentations from the regulator, Ash McAlpine – CASA, and three industry speakers: Bridgette Hasting, chief pilot of small, family owned tourism company, Barossa Helicopters; Mike Hutchinson, aviation safety manager with Exxon-Mobil; and Adrianne Fleming, head of operations of Tristar Aviation, a Melbourne-based flying training organisation.
27 October 2021
The second, and final webinar of the ‘SMS for smaller organisations’ series looks at the Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s (CASA’s) SMS evaluation tool.
It examines three SMS elements in more detail, and challenges and successes for the smaller organisations represented in implementing these: safety policy & objectives; hazard ID & risk assessment; and management of change. Panellists from webinar one, Ash McAlpine, CASA; Bridgette Hasting, Barossa Helicopters; Mike Hutchinson, Exxon-Mobil; and Adrianne Fleming, Tristar Aviation, return to discuss these topics, and answer attendees’ questions.
Aerial firefighting: meeting future challenges safely
Safeskies Australia and RMIT University presented two 90-minute webinars focusing on ‘Aerial firefighting: managing future challenges safely’ in late July.
20 July 2021
In the first webinar, a panel of industry experts examined operational factors during recent fire seasons.
Adam Bannister, Manager of Air Operations, WA Department of Fire and Emergency Management spoke on the use of large air tankers (LAT) in WA firefighting; Andrew Duggan, Managing Director, Insitu Pacific and board member Australian Association Unmanned Systems spoke on the potential for firefighting using larger UAS/drones; and human factors specialist and author, Dr Tony Kern, discussed aerial firefighting from a human performance perspective.
21 July 2021
The second webinar focused on aerial firefighting regulatory and safety considerations.
Stuart Ellis, CEO of the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC) opened with a national perspective on aerial firefighting, while Canadian transport accident investigator, Jon Lee, Western Region Manager, the Transport Safety Board (TSB), and Colin McNamara, acting Chief Commissioner, Australian Transport Safety Bureau, spoke on firefighting accident investigations.
Airports
Airspace
Airworthiness
Flight Operations
Ground handling
Human factors
‘Structurally sound aircraft plummet to Earth, ships run aground in calm seas, industrial machines run awry, and the instruments of medical science maim and kill unsuspecting patients, all because of incompatibilities between the way things are designed and the way people perceive, think, and act. (Steven Casey, Set phasers on stun: and other true tales of design, technology, and human error, 1993)
Considering human factors as an important part of aviation safety has been a focus of Safeskies’ conferences from the beginning. Dr John Lauber, of the US NTSB, presented on ‘Including the Human Factor’ at the first conference in 1993, the same year as Casey’s quote above.
The 2019 conference featured a series of lectures focusing on human factors, in honour of Dr Rob Lee, human factors and safety management expert, who died on 27 April 2018.
Brent Hayward
Dr Rob Lee memorial system safety/ human factors panel session
Dr Wayne Martin
Dr Rob Lee memorial system safety/ human factors panel session
Dr Adam Fletcher
Dr Rob Lee memorial system safety/ human factors panel session
Safety management
There is a saying that ‘aviation rules are written in blood’—they often follow accidents, especially where there are fatalities, in an attempt to improve safety. Below are some key Australian domestic accidents, many of which have led to new safety regulations.
Training
Training has always been a focus of Safeskies’ conference programs.
The inaugural 1993 conference featured two sessions on training: a presentation on ‘Training and education’ and a workshop session entitled ‘How can training and total quality management address the human factor?’. Fast forward to 2019, and a panel session on day one chaired by Patrick Murray looked at ‘Training for tomorrow’, while the 2015 conference focused entirely on the subject, under the theme, ‘Training for change’.
