Since EASA began operations in 2003, the European Commercial Aviation Safety Team (ECAST), one of the Agency’s three pillars (the European Helicopter Safety Team, and the European General Safety Team make up the remainder) has been looking at ways to further improve safety within key areas.
ECAST’s proposed working group on ground safety is working in close co-operation with the US safety team.
While EASA’s 2007 annual safety review shows how safety has consistently improved, a safety management systems (SMS) and safety culture working group has been set up this year to address priority areas requiring action. A ground safety working group is also currently being proposed.
As Head of Safety Analysis and Research, Vincent’s primary interest lies in the reporting of air incidents and ensuring a ‘just’ culture, rather than a no blame culture, where trust is developed in the process of sharing safety data.
According to Vincent, a key challenge for aviation authorities is working towards a systematic approach to managing safety, as well as a culture with a climate of trust, where air incidents are reported fairly. The safety management system and safety culture working group aims to ensure common ground is established, in line with ICAO requirements. “We talk about a ‘just’ culture rather than a no blame culture. The human factor elements and a free reporting environment are important to us. We are trying to develop that relationship so the industry is confident when we use that information in our analysis, to detect trends and take corrective actions. It’s about getting people to share safety data with us and building up that trust,” said Vincent, who aims to ensure that all 31 EASA Member States adopt the same approach. “We recognise that different States are in a different position, but we want to ensure harmonisation and standardisation,” he added.
Harmonisation and standardisation
Runway safety has been recognised as a priority under the FAA and CAA regulatory systems. The proposed working group on ground safety is working in close co-operation with the US safety team, said Vincent. “We are quite special in being a regional safety agency. While the US has its own system, we are trying to create some of that harmonisation and standardisation, while accepting that we don’t have the same system. The idea is that we have common standards so that we can check those common standards are being applied,” he said.
On 16 October, EASA organised a workshop in cooperation with EUROCONTROL on safety within the Single European Sky, in a joint effort to further enhance safety standards. The Agency’s remit has been extended to other operations, with a proposed third extension looking at safety regulation of aerodromes and air traffic management.
