Last November I had the privilege and honor to attend the second annual Middle East North Africa ISASI (MENASASI) meeting. The meeting was well attended and the presentations were on target and inspiring.
The MENASASI society was formed by a group of individuals who have a sincere concern for air safety, as do all of us in aviation. There are some in the aviation community who have a boundless passion for aviation safety. This group will work tirelessly to suggest and implement changes in the quest to improve aviation safety. The members consist of representatives of every facet of the aviation community: flight crew, maintenance technicians, engineers, management, air traffic controllers, and safety analysts. A small segment of the group consists of accident investigators, and those hoping to become investigators. Each of these individuals has a tremendous background, a lot of training and experience, and are very skilled in their profession. They also know that having numerous contacts in their field will improve their ability to enhance aviation safety by implementing changes or submitting safety recommendations.
This is the profile of the founders of MENASASI. They realized that they could be more effective if they joined forces with other safety organizations. Their answer was ISASI. It is the only organization for aviation safety professionals to share their passion for aviation safety.
As I participated in the two-day seminar, I observed this passion, and the regions’ recent safety record reflects this desire. The aviation market in the area served by MENASASI has been growing rapidly for the past decade and is now home to some of the world’s larger international carriers. Yet, a brief review of major accidents illustrates that the region has established a strong safety record during this period of rapid growth and rapid structural changes in the industry. Over the past several years, the only major accidents in the area have occurred in Iran: a HESA Iran -140 near Tehran operated by Sepahan Airlines in August 2014 (39 fatalities), and a Boeing 727 near Urmia, in January 2011 (at least 77 fatalities).
During the seminar, questions posed to me reflected a keen interest in improving safety. The MENASASI members desired to know: How do others do it, and what can we do better? I have two responses to those questions. First, the fact is that, no matter how good our safety record is, we always have room for improvement. The bottom line is to focus on risk. Treat all accidents and all available data as opportunities to understand and to identify any systemic weaknesses that pose significant risks.
A good example of such an opportunity occurred in February 2013 when an Airbus A320 operated by Tunis Air landed in a rainsquall at Tunis. On roll out, the aircraft ran off the side of Runway 19, then rolled out for another 114 meters over soft ground, then crossed runway 11/29, and continued another 130 meters over soft ground, then 17 meters on taxiway F before coming to a stop. Fortunately, no collisions with other aircraft or structures occurred, and none of the 83 occupants were injured. The risk of a bad outcome was very high, but with the absence of fatalities or other injuries, the accident received little attention internationally. Yet the occurrence likely was a good opportunity to learn about, and to document, issues associated with what is now the most common type of significant accident in the world: runway excursions.
My second response to the two questions noted above is to take advantage of the world-wide network of expertise that your fellow ISASI members can offer, and share your own knowledge with others. If you are a member of MENASASI, you should participate in your annual safety seminar. If you discover a safety issue involving an aircraft model, a training program, a maintenance program, checklists, or maintenance manual, share it with others who might have the same issue, and take the necessary steps to alleviate the safety issue.
If you are reading this article, and you operate in the Middle East or North Africa area and you are not a member, join ISASI and automatically become a member of MENASASI. ISASI has approximately 1,400 members in 73 countries. Your membership provides you with many benefits including access to all presentations given at the annual seminars and to the worldwide network of fellow accident investigators and safety specialists. I guarantee you that your involvement in ISASI and MENASASI will enhance your ability to achieve your quest for improved aviation safety.
In August 2015, ISASI will hold its annual seminar in Augsburg, Germany, which will be sponsored by the European Society (ESASI). It is anticipated that there will be 350-400 safety professionals attending the seminar. For more information, visit the ISASI website.
(www.isasi.org)