Dear Valued Clients and Aviation Enthusiasts,
I am delighted to welcome you to the Q3 2023 edition of our Aviation Safety Newsletter, a publication designed to bring you a curated collection of insights, news, and best practices from the ever-evolving world of aviation safety. As we navigate the skies together, safety remains at the forefront of our mission, and this newsletter serves as a testament to our commitment to excellence.
In the dynamic landscape of aviation, safety is not just a priority; it is a fundamental cornerstone. Whether you are a seasoned aviation professional or a passionate traveler, this newsletter aims to provide you with valuable information, thought-provoking articles, and expert perspectives that shed light on the latest trends, innovations, and challenges in aviation safety.
Within these pages, you will find a blend of carefully selected articles from reputable sources across the web, offering diverse viewpoints and global insights into the state of aviation safety. Additionally, our team has contributed information that delves into specific topics, sharing experiences, lessons learned, and best practices developed through much time dedicated to safety in aviation.
Safety is a collaborative effort, and this newsletter is a platform for us to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and foster a community dedicated to ensuring the highest standards of safety in the skies. Our goal is not only to keep you informed but also to engage you in a meaningful dialogue about the future of aviation safety.
To our current clients, we express our gratitude for your continued trust and partnership. To potential clients, we extend a warm invitation to explore the depth of our commitment to safety and excellence in aviation.
As we continue on this journey together, I encourage you to actively participate in the conversations sparked by the articles within these pages. Your insights and feedback are invaluable as we collectively strive to enhance safety practices and contribute to the continuous improvement of the aviation industry. Thank you for entrusting us with your safety, and here’s to a future where aviation remains a beacon of innovation, reliability, and, above all, safety.
Safe Skies,
Thomas P. Brodeur
Director, Air Carrier Safety
The National Business Aviation Association hosts the Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) as an opportunity for aviation professionals to connect with dedicated and visionary individuals across the industry. NBAA-BACE is the world’s largest business aviation event that highlights innovations and explores the latest technologies in safety and sustainability across the industry. The event hosts various seminars and offers extensive networking with thousands of aviation professionals, allowing companies like Elevate Jet to forge valuable connections while gaining deep industry insight to integrate into our ongoing commitment to providing world-class aviation solutions that prioritize safety and client experience.
This year’s NBAA-BACE hosted several highly valuable safety seminars, including Single Pilot Safety, Optimizing Pilot Performance and Safety Technologies. Each of these topics covered threats, risks, plans and contingencies for aviation professionals to integrate into their safety programs. Staying current with the latest in aviation safety practices and technologies strengthens our commitment to the high standards at Elevate Jet, prioritizing the well-being of clients and our team.
The Single Pilot Safety seminar discussed identifying and managing threats through in-depth briefing and industry best practices. Significant topics included plans and considerations to support the mitigation of risks and threats. Thorough briefings incorporating threats, plans and considerations are critical to identify and manage threats. When briefing, it’s integral to focus on relevant threats and interactive discussion, plans that manage relevant threats and focus on the bigger picture and considerations that include contingency plans.
During the discussion on Optimizing Pilot Performance, Quay Snyder, Aeromedical Advisor for Air Line Pilots Association, International, discussed prioritizing physiological and cognitive. health as well as honest pre-flight assessments and ongoing training as integral to prioritizing safety. In the discussion, Snyder highlighted the impact of fitness and age on cognition on pilot safety. Specifically, he focused on the necessity for honest assessments every pre-flight with the I’M SAFE protocol:
I: Illness
M: Medication
S: Stress
A: Alcohol
F: Fatigue
E: Eating/Hydration
Assessing pilots with these integral aspects of physiological and cognitive health optimizes overall performance and allows crews to safely and effectively operate aircraft.
The topics at NBAA-BACE additionally covered the latest safety technologies and their impact on the aviation industry. In this discussion, the focus was on what safety practices are involved in pre-flight, in-flight and post flight, as well as what software and programs to use. Notably, the discussion included how safety practices are moving away from centralization and towards integration.
Pre-flight safety technologies include software and programs for scheduling, risk mitigation, flight planning and regulatory services. These include report generators, runway analysis, NOTAM software, crew wellness reporting and scheduling and maintenance software. Each of these platforms is integral to maintaining safe operations of aircraft for passengers and crew.
Safety technologies for in-flight provide, analyze or store information regarding flight planning and weather, in-flight communications, flight following, operational checklists and aircraft health and reporting. These platforms allow crews to make decisions and movements based on the top priority of safety.
Post-flight safety platforms involve event recording, service request delivery, feedback and squawks. Post-flight technology allows for proper communication and the addressing of any necessary maintenance and/or concerns.
During the Technology at the Center of Safety discussion at NBAA-BACE, facilitators discussed the shift from the trend of centralizing safety technologies. Decentralization of safety technologies and responsible parties allows for better integration and mitigation of risks associated with the technology, including:
From single-pilot safety to technologies and optimizing pilot performance, each of the topics covered at NBAA-BACE are essential reminders of how to serve Elevate Jet clients best while prioritizing safety for passengers and employees alike. Staying current on the latest in aviation safety allows us to strengthen our ongoing commitment to safe operations and adapt accordingly.
As part of our ongoing commitment to safety, Elevate Jet adopts the latest in software and technology to ensure we meet the high standards that keep our team and everyone who flies with us safe. Our current software, PRISM ARMOR, helps our teams manage documents, reporting for potential hazards, Pre-Flight Risk Analyses for pilots and Risk Assessments. With the new software, PRISM SMS, Elevate Jet will experience improvements to the hazard reporting flow process and user management as well as an upgraded user interface for smoother experiences.
In 2021, a 23-year-old pilot flying on a low-level pipeline patrol was killed seconds after his aircraft hit the guy wire of a radio tower. Upon striking the wire, the left wing of the Cessna 182 was sheared off, sending the aircraft tumbling onto the ground, where it then burst into flames. In its final report on the fatal crash, the NTSB noted that, 35 seconds before hitting the guy wire, the pilot made a post on social media app Snapchat. That was his final post.
According to the accident report, “Based on known information, it is likely the pilot was distracted while using his mobile device in the minutes before the accident and did not maintain adequate lookout to ensure a safe flight path to avoid the radio tower and its guy wires. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s unnecessary use of his mobile device during the flight, which diminished his attention/ monitoring of the airplane’s flight path.”
The NTSB has long led a charge to eliminate distractions in aviation and other forms of transportation. “Distraction is a growing life-threatening problem in all modes of transportation,” said the NTSB. The Safety Board has identified the proliferation of personal electronic devices, such as cellphones and tablets, as a serious problem. The agency added, “We know that a loss of situational awareness in the air and on the ground can have potentially catastrophic results.”
This year’s NBAA-BACE hosted several highly valuable safety seminars, including Single Pilot Safety, Optimizing Pilot Performance and Safety Technologies. Each of these topics covered threats, risks, plans and contingencies for aviation professionals to integrate into their safety programs. Staying current with the latest in aviation safety practices and technologies strengthens our commitment to the high standards at Elevate Jet, prioritizing the well-being of clients and our team.
The Single Pilot Safety seminar discussed identifying and managing threats through in-depth briefing and industry best practices. Significant topics included plans and considerations to support the mitigation of risks and threats. Thorough briefings incorporating threats, plans and considerations are critical to identify and manage threats. When briefing, it’s integral to focus on relevant threats and interactive discussion, plans that manage relevant threats and focus on the bigger picture and considerations that include contingency plans.
During the discussion on Optimizing Pilot Performance, Quay Snyder, Aeromedical Advisor for Air Line Pilots Association, International, discussed prioritizing physiological and cognitive. health as well as honest pre-flight assessments and ongoing training as integral to prioritizing safety. In the discussion, Snyder highlighted the impact of fitness and age on cognition on pilot safety. Specifically, he focused on the necessity for honest assessments every pre-flight with the I’M SAFE protocol:
I: Illness
M: Medication
S: Stress
A: Alcohol
F: Fatigue
E: Eating/Hydration
Assessing pilots with these integral aspects of physiological and cognitive health optimizes overall performance and allows crews to safely and effectively operate aircraft.
The topics at NBAA-BACE additionally covered the latest safety technologies and their impact on the aviation industry. In this discussion, the focus was on what safety practices are involved in pre-flight, in-flight and post flight, as well as what software and programs to use. Notably, the discussion included how safety practices are moving away from centralization and towards integration.
Pre-flight safety technologies include software and programs for scheduling, risk mitigation, flight planning and regulatory services. These include report generators, runway analysis, NOTAM software, crew wellness reporting and scheduling and maintenance software. Each of these platforms is integral to maintaining safe operations of aircraft for passengers and crew.
Safety technologies for in-flight provide, analyze or store information regarding flight planning and weather, in-flight communications, flight following, operational checklists and aircraft health and reporting. These platforms allow crews to make decisions and movements based on the top priority of safety.
Post-flight safety platforms involve event recording, service request delivery, feedback and squawks. Post-flight technology allows for proper communication and the addressing of any necessary maintenance and/or concerns.
During the Technology at the Center of Safety discussion at NBAA-BACE, facilitators discussed the shift from the trend of centralizing safety technologies. Decentralization of safety technologies and responsible parties allows for better integration and mitigation of risks associated with the technology, including:
From single-pilot safety to technologies and optimizing pilot performance, each of the topics covered at NBAA-BACE are essential reminders of how to serve Elevate Jet clients best while prioritizing safety for passengers and employees alike. Staying current on the latest in aviation safety allows us to strengthen our ongoing commitment to safe operations and adapt accordingly.
As part of our ongoing commitment to safety, Elevate Jet adopts the latest in software and technology to ensure we meet the high standards that keep our team and everyone who flies with us safe. Our current software, PRISM ARMOR, helps our teams manage documents, reporting for potential hazards, Pre-Flight Risk Analyses for pilots and Risk Assessments. With the new software, PRISM SMS, Elevate Jet will experience improvements to the hazard reporting flow process and user management as well as an upgraded user interface for smoother experiences.
