Introduction
The aviation industry is a highly regulated and safety-focused industry. The main goal of any airline is to ensure that their passengers arrive at their destination safely and without incident. Say’s Dr. Jon Kiev, although there are hundreds of factors that go into making sure this happens every time, it’s important to understand the importance of safety in aviation.
Safety vs. Risk
Safety is not the same as risk.
Safety is a process, not an outcome.
It’s important to understand that aviation safety is not just about avoiding accidents; it’s also about reducing the frequency of incidents and minimizing their consequences when they do occur. The goal is to make sure that no one gets hurt or killed while flying an aircraft–and this can only be achieved by focusing on three key elements:
Standards and Regulations
The importance of standards and regulations
Standards and regulations are an essential aspect of aviation safety. They provide a framework to ensure that all airlines, airports, pilots, mechanics and other professionals in the industry follow universally-recognized best practices. These include standards for training programs; maintenance procedures; flight crew composition; aircraft design features (such as cockpit layout); pilot qualifications; security measures at airports; use of new technologies such as GPS tracking systems on passenger aircrafts etc. In order to enforce these standards effectively there must be some form of regulatory body which oversees them at national level or international level depending on how far reaching it needs to be in scope.
Manage Risk
Risk management is a process, not a destination. It’s important to remember that risk is an inherent part of life and there are no guarantees in aviation. The goal is to manage risks as effectively as possible, rather than eliminate them altogether.
Manage risk by asking yourself these questions:
- What could go wrong? What are the potential consequences of those things going wrong? How could I mitigate those consequences if they did occur?
- How much time do I have before takeoff or landing? Do I need more time or less time depending on local conditions (e.g., wind speed/direction)? Is there anything else I need to do before landing (e.g., switch off lights), after landing (e.g., turn off engines), during taxiing away from the runway (epts) and at other points along our route(s).
Safety is a top priority for the aviation industry.
The aviation industry is an extremely safe one. In fact, it’s one of the safest modes of transportation in the world. In 2016 alone, there were 0.10 fatalities per million passengers on commercial flights; this compares favorably with other modes of transportation like railroads (0.23), automobiles (0.94) and boats/ships (1.47).
Safety is a top priority for both pilots and airlines alike because they understand how important it is to keep their passengers safe at all times–but what about other parties involved? What about you? How do you make sure that your trip goes smoothly from start to finish?
The good news is that there are several steps that can help ensure your trip goes smoothly:
Conclusion
Safety is a top priority for the aviation industry. It is important that we all understand the risks involved in flight, as well as how they can be managed and mitigated through regulation and training.
