Maxime Wauters’ Post

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Aviation Innovator & Safety Crusader | Elevating Standards with CLIMAX Aviation | Pilot, Consultant, Leader

Yesterday, we were reminded of the fragility of safety in our industry with a tragic accident at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. (Presumably) a ground worker lost his life after being sucked into the engine of an Embraer 190 during pushback. The exact details are still being investigated (and once again, this is NOT a matter of hour or days in most aviation accidents cases), but this heart-breaking event emphasizes, I think, a critical point: Safety must never be taken for granted, even in the heart of Europe, where some of the most respectable airlines, airports, and ground handling operators operate. This accident underscores a vital truth, regardless of the investigation outcome: Safety starts with each of us. It’s a shared responsibility that spans across everyone in the aviation ecosystem: pilots, cabin crew, ground handlers, maintenance staff, air traffic controllers, caterers, and yes, managers, accountants and office staff too! Safety is a mindset which, when adopted by everyone, creates a culture all across the organisation and all across the ecosystem. When we all adopt a safety-first mindset, we create a culture where everyone looks out for each other, and the collective vigilance becomes our strongest safeguard. Despite our best efforts and the rigorous safety protocols in place, we must acknowledge that we can never prevent all incidents and accidents. Aviation remains the safest means of transportation, but these tragic events remind us of our fallibility. We must continuously strive to improve, knowing that the system, as robust as it is, is still prone to failure. Let’s use this sad moment to renew our commitment to safety, with humility and respect for the complexities of our operations. Each individual’s actions matter, and together, we should, and we can foster an environment where safety is paramount. "Safety starts with me. Safety starts with you." as I saw in a lot of safety promotion material. My thoughts are with the family and colleagues of the individual lost in this tragic accident, as well as with the crew members, ground staff and passengers who witnessed the accident (also reminding us about the importance of mental health and peer support...) And as always, let's keep Safety a constructive conversation... This is only my own personal meaning... #aviation #safetyfirst #sharedresponsibility #commitmenttosafety #aviationcommunity #KLM #Schiphol #AviationSafety #AviationAccident #GroundOperations

  • KLM E190 in Amsterdam
Ian Petts ✈ BSc MSc FCA

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4mo

Well said Saftey First! This happened the same week as a yacht lost control in Monaco 🇲🇨 due to no Kill Cord. So important to put first principle #Safteyfirst!

Omar Nisar

First Officer A350

4mo

Such a sad event. Well said Maxime!

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