2011 Safeskies Conference wrap-up

Aviation safety has proven the big winner following the conclusion of the 2011 Safeskies Conference in Canberra in late October.

Speaking about the success of the event, Safeskies President Peter Lloyd said for him one of the most important messages to emerge was how well-equipped we are to deal with most of the foreseeable problems in aviation safety; and even with problems that we don’t see yet but which undoubtedly will occur.

“The fact that 90 flying instructors attended to hear that message can only be good in terms of the near failure of efficient instruction at the lowest level that has been haunting Australia for the past 10 years,” Lloyd said.

Lloyd also highlighted a lack of funding for the ATSB to properly do its job, particularly at the GA and Sports Aviation levels, as another message coming from the Conference.

350 attendees were in the Great Hall of Parliament House on October 25 as Australian NASA astronaut Dr Andy Thomas preceded the opening of Safeskies 2011 by delivering an intriguing 10th Sir Reginald Ansett Memorial Lecture.
 
Dr Thomas spoke of his experiences in space, but it was his vision for the future of the US space program that particularly enthralled the audience. He provided photographic evidence of the existence of large amounts of water on both the Moon and Mars and explained how this would be inspiration for missions to both. He also envisioned landings on some of the larger asteroids within reach of the Earth.

The following morning, 300 delegates from more than 12 countries were in attendance at the official opening of Safeskies 2011. Over the next two days the Conference heard from 22 speakers addressing different aspects of the Conference theme: Future Growth – Future Challenges.

Secretary of the Department of Infrastructure and Transport, Mike Mrdak, spoke of three “critical issues” including safeguarding airports, managing growth safely and getting the investment signals right.

Airservices Australia’s Greg Russell talked of the need for, “the whole industry to work together in ways and at a level that we’ve not done before” to safely manage growth.

Vince Galotti from ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) discussed airline accident trends and highlighted the need for global harmonisation of, “the way that we measure performance, technically and institutionally”.

The FAA’s Kathy Abbott delivered an insightful analysis of trends in pilot training in an age of automation: “To maintain the safety and effectiveness of our system we need to be ready for change and be prepared to deal with it.”

Geoff Leach from the UK CAA spoke about the need for more focus on dangerous goods, declaring that the greatest threat to safety is in fact the passenger who either through ignorance or intent carries dangerous goods aboard an aircraft.

Other visiting speakers included Kevin Humphreys from the Irish Aviation Authority, Jean-Guy Ravel from Thales Air Systems, Lt Col Ray King from the USAF, Airbus’ Yanick Malinge, Air France’s Philippe Bricaud and Canada’s Robert Wells.

Other local speakers included the Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Geoff Brown, CASA’s John McCormick, the ATSB’s Martin Dolan, the Virgin Group’s Sean Donohue and BARS Program Director Greg Marshall.

“I think overall everyone met the criterion that I’ve always applied to Safeskies – that they could take something away from it that they didn’t know beforehand, that will add to aviation safety,” Lloyd concluded. “Everyone I spoke to said that they got at least that, and most people said they got three or four really good things to help them in their own work to enhance safety.”