Jennifer Hillmann, MS’ Post

In Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers, he writes how communications, or the lack thereof, impacts commercial airline safety. He shares how in commercial airlines, there is always pilot and a first officer who share the duties of flying the aircraft. While both are qualified to fly the aircraft, the pilot has more experience and seniority. Interestingly, studies have shown that crashes are much more likely to occur when the pilot is at the controls and much less likely to happen when the first officer at the controls.  Which means that flights are statistically significantly safer when the least experienced person is operating the plane. Why is that? It’s because of communication and vulnerability. Reviewing the audio of crashes, the FAA discovered that the less experienced, lower-ranking first officer is much less likely to feel empowered to speak up when they observe something amiss than the more experienced, higher-ranking pilot. What they heard when the pilot was in control, the first officer didn’t effectively communicate issues to the pilot. Conversely, the pilots were much more proactive in alerting the first officers to issues. For example, the pilot might note things like “There’s too much ice on the plane. You need to request de-icing before take-off.” An active, and actionable, statement. However, the first officer’s statements in the same situation were more passive, “Looks like more ice than usual…” The fears lower ranking people have around speaking up are not limited to the airline industry. Many organizations have a culture where speaking up is not welcomed and in some cases, considered a career limiting move (CLM). However, the lower ranking employees are on your front lines. They interact all day, every day with your products, your processes, your applications. They often field calls from and troubleshoot for your clients. Their insights can be the ones that keep your organizational plane in the air. How can organizations fix this issue? Airlines implemented training, requiring junior officers to use specific language when they identify an issue. They are trained to disregard comfort issues, using escalating phrases such as, “Captain, I’m concerned about …” and escalating to “Captain, I believe the situation is unsafe…” and ultimately taking over control if the captain isn’t responding. These protocols empower lower ranking officers to communicate effectively, and many experts believe have contributed to the dramatic decline in airline crashes – more than any technological advances. Organizations can implement similar protocols so that it can quickly respond to issues that will bring down its business.  Open door policies and town hall meetings aren’t enough. Employees need to be empowered and to see leadership respond to build trust in the process. #communication #employeeengagement #leadership #internalcommunication #agility #culture

Passenger's Scary Door Incident: How Cabin Crew Saved the Day! #AirCanadapassenger #airlinevigilance #attemptedtoopenadoor #cabincrewintervention #cabincrewrole #disorientedpassenger #emergencylanding #investigation #passengersafety #rareincidents #RoyalCanadianMountedPolice #safetyprotocols #ThunderBay

This week's blog discusses Safety & Compliance and the advantages airlines could gain by outsourcing some or all of this particular function to a specialist and experienced provider... If you are working for an airline who are considering outsourcing some or all of the Safety & Compliance function then please do get in touch with me at tomanderton@bostonair.co.uk https://lnkd.in/e5UnZm85

Scott Kirby, CEO United Airlines, sent me the following email yesterday. This CEO apparently makes according to an “April 2023 report by a leading Investment Adviser firm, United CEO Scott Kirby has a net worth of at least $44.1 million and collects an annual salary of $16,779,500 as Chief Executive Officer and President of United Airlines at United Airlines Inc.” I am traveling on United this week to go from the East Coast to the West Coast to my son’s and future daughter in-law’s wedding in LA. Mr. Kirby, CEO of United, sends me this milk toast email and tells me, “I want you to know that these incidents have our attention and have sharpened our focus.” Mr. Kirby, how about an apology for these incidents and it won’t happen again! My God Scott Kirby, I want some assurance that you are going to get me to LA on your flight without the plane losing parts in the sky, or screw-ups in the cockpit with flight attendents serving pilots food! Your email just doesn’t do it for customers! _______________________________________ Email From A message from Scott Kirby, CEO United Airlines, 3/18/24 Dear Robert, Of all the things that make me proud of our team at United Airlines, I'm most proud of the culture we've built around the safety of our employees and our customers. Safety is our highest priority and is at the center of everything we do. Unfortunately, in the past few weeks, our airline has experienced a number of incidents that are reminders of the importance of safety. While they are all unrelated, I want you to know that these incidents have our attention and have sharpened our focus. Our team is reviewing the details of each case to understand what happened and using those insights to inform our safety training and procedures across all employee groups. This is in addition to some changes that were already planned, including an extra day of in-person training for all pilots starting in May and a centralized training curriculum for our new-hire maintenance technicians. We're also dedicating more resources to supplier network management. We empower our team to speak up and raise their hand if they see something wrong. You can be confident that every time a United plane pulls away from the gate, everyone on our team is working together to keep you safe on your trip. In the past few years, we've done a lot at United to build a new culture, improve our business and earn your trust. I'm confident that we'll learn the right lessons from these recent incidents and continue to run an operation that puts safety first and makes our employees and customers proud. Thank you for flying United, and I hope to see you onboard soon. Sincerely, Scott Kirby CEO United Airlines https://lnkd.in/ezgVy8tt

Southwest Airlines #pilots are going after a United Airlines pilot for reporting a #safety issue while riding the jumpseat. You can read the report for yourselves. First, a question for the #airlineindustry where policies prohibit anyone from talking to the media and other outsiders as a condition of employment. Yet, you let #pilot creeps spew trash at others's they disagree with when it comes to social media where neanderthal trolls go after women who have been #sexuallyassaulted, #harassed and otherwise experienced #discrimination. I'd say these neanderthals have violated your policies and you give them a pass. Think about this. Pilots must be of good moral character to get an ATP, according to the FARs. So, you have plenty of grounds to stop the harassment and attacks....that is, if you want to Southwest Airlines American Airlines where pilots are trolling two women as we speak. The pilot who was riding the jumpseat on a Southwest flight is now receiving undeserved attacks online with inexcusable language and doxing. Heaven only knows what has happened to her with her United Airlines pilot peers. IMHO she was doing her job as a person responsible for safety. according to #safetymanagementsystems requirements. The post on Twitter that made this go viral, then says that "pilots who still feel uneasy about what they witnessed in the flight deck should first approach their union’s safety management team because before “running to the FAA”. That is so laughable since #unions often conspire to retaliate against pilots raising safety issues. But my question is: why the hell is Southwest Airlines allowing these public attacks on anyone reporting a safety issue? American Airlines is similarly allowing attacks against Sara Hammel for calling out a problem. The United pilot was doing what the system requires and the data point she entered can be used with others to determine if there is a #training problem at Southwest. Since the captain agreed with her safety issue and instructed the FO to mitigate the problem she was right. The issue now, is that she deigned to report a safety issue to higher authorities. A pilot even went so far as to tell post on Twitter “Please mentor our newer hires on how to jumpseat properly and keep your damn mouth shut,” the leaked post continued. “At the very least, if you see something incorrect or wrong, very politely query the crew, if you feel you must, and let them explain themselves.” Keeping you damn mouth shut is NOT part of the federally required safety management systems. She did as the pilot on Twitter asked -- politely noting the failure -- but she also provided an important data point for ASRS which is supposed to use data to catch negative safety trends. SWAPA pilots need to look to themselves in their attacks. Says a lot about their lack of safety mindset and respect for SMS. Karlene Petitt PhD, MBA, MHS Christine Janning Andrea Nicole R.

Are you in charge of briefing passengers during flights? It's a tough responsibility because, thankfully, accidents and emergencies are rare, and passengers have seen or heard many briefings over time. But treating the briefing responsibility seriously can make all the difference. Remember that your attitude comes through to your passengers and then becomes their attitude too. So, ask yourself: what can I do better in briefing passengers? One creative solution is to experiment by involving passengers. Ask questions to test their knowledge and engagement. Who will help you escape in the event of your incapacitation during an emergency? The life you save may be your own! Point out specific items on the briefing card. For instance, how does the main aircraft door open (this is a particularly important one)? When it makes sense, elicit the help of frequent flyers to encourage people to listen. Different companies approach the problem in different ways. For example, PetSmart required an executive to serve as the evacuation crewmember on each flight, who CAPS Aviation trained. Northrop Grumman trains their flying employees to a similar emergency standard required of 135 operators, even though they operate under Part 91. Get your company's and/or the owner's buy-in, if appropriate, and advertise that buy-in to help set expectations. Remember, briefing passengers is a crucial part of ensuring their safety. Let's work together to find creative solutions and make it a priority.

EU Cracks Down on Denmark and Cyprus Over Air Safety Violations: Legal Action Looms https://ift.tt/cadYPqL The European Commission launched infringement procedures against Denmark and Cyprus, issuing formal notices to both nations for inaccuracies in implementing specific EU aviation safety legislation provisions. Infringement procedures conducted by the European Commission are formal actions taken against EU member states for violating EU law, involving a structured process of notices, opinions, and potential court referrals to ensure compliance. For Denmark, the European Commission found shortcomings in adhering to aviation safety regulations. The issues include not having well-qualified staff, non-compliance with oversight procedures, and improper acceptance and approval of aviation company manuals, all of which contravene Regulations (EU) No 1321/2014 and (EU) No 748/2012. In the case of Cyprus, identified flaws relate to various aspects of airport supervision, outlined in Regulations (EU) No 139/2014 and (EU) 923/2012, including confirming airport-related obligations and evaluating the sufficiency of Cyprus’s safety management system. Both Denmark and Cyprus will face a two-month deadline to address the concerns presented by the Commission and enact the requisite measures. Failure to comply within this timeframe may prompt the Commission to consider issuing a reasoned opinion, the next formal step in the infringement process. A reasoned opinion provides a detailed explanation of the alleged breaches and offers the countries an additional opportunity to rectify the issues before further legal action is pursued. Air travel, deemed one of the safest modes of transportation, is assured by the EU to provide European citizens with the utmost safety standards in the skies. The foundation of the European aviation safety system rests upon a framework of standardised safety regulations jointly supervised by the European Commission, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and National Aviation Authorities. These regulations are applicable across all EU Member States, encompassing crucial facets of aviation, including airworthiness, aircrew, aerodromes, air operations, and the provision of air navigation services. The EU’s aviation safety management strategy is grounded on occurrence reporting, which involves documenting, analysing, and addressing safety-related events in civil aviation. Standardised accident investigation rules are also in place to prevent the recurrence of safety issues. In the realm of EU aviation, the Air Safety List restricts unsafe third-country air carriers, ensuring compliance with international safety standards, with oversight conducted by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The EU’s commitment to aviation safety extends globally through collaborations with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), technical cooperation projects, and bilateral agreements with ...

This week's blog discusses Safety & Compliance and the advantages airlines could gain by outsourcing some or all of this particular function to a specialist and experienced provider... If you are working for an airline who are considering outsourcing some or all of the Safety & Compliance function then please do get in touch with me at tomanderton@bostonair.co.uk https://lnkd.in/emzGfp8p

US airlines have spent decades developing and perfecting systems to ensure the safety and trust of citizens and the industry. What can organizations learn from airline safety? Andrew D., Founder and CEO of System Safety, a safety solutions consulting agency, maintains the value and relevance of checklists for every business. These quality assurance lists promote accountability and reduce errors and risks by evaluating and managing processes and workflows. An effective checklist includes a comprehensive and informative title and encourages users to execute systems and perform work correctly rather than through memorization. In this episode of Systems Simplified, I invite Andrew to talk about reducing errors and risks in business processes. Andrew describes the premise of his book, why companies need system safety, and how to measure process effectiveness. #safetystandards #riskmitigation #checklists