A best practice in crisis management is to be proactive in finding ways to prevent or mitigate a ... [+]
A best practice in crisis management is to be proactive in finding ways to prevent or mitigate a potential crisis. The Federal Aviation Administration appeared to embrace that best practice yesterday at its first safety summit in 14 years.
The headline-making event can serve as a model for business leaders on the steps they should take to help reduce the risk of a crisis at their companies and organizations.
Proactive Steps
When You See Something, Do Something
The FAA safety summit was prompted by the recent spate of close calls on the runways at several airports across the United States.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg acknowledged on Wednesday that there had been an “uptick in serious close calls” at U.S. airports
“Initial information suggests that more mistakes than usual are happening across the system, on runways, at gates while planes are pushing back, in control towers, and on flight decks,” Buttigieg said at a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety summit.
Avoid Complacency
Buttigieg told the summit that the country's air system was skirting disaster in the wake of multiple near-miss aviation incidents in the past year.
Act Sooner Rather Than Later
The DOT secretary said that while the U.S. continues to enjoy "the safest and most complex system in the world," there are indications that the system is under strain. We can't wait for the next catastrophic event when we can see the warning signs today,” NBC News reported.
Research Options
The FAA said it is looking for “ways to address areas where the existing safety system could be tightened,” including finding new technology to help alert air traffic controllers when airplanes and other vehicles are on a collision course on runways and taxiways, according to CNN.
Seek The Help You Need
“The FAA issued a call to industry to help identify technologies that could augment existing capabilities of surface surveillance equipment and deploy this technology to all airports with air traffic control services,” the agency said.
Yesterday’s session was attended by 200 airline and safety experts, who participated in a series of breakout groups. The sessions focused on commercial operations, the air traffic system, airport and ground operations, and general aviation operations. Each group was facilitated by a member of the industry and an FAA subject matter expert, the FAA reported.
Prioritize
“The sessions focused on commercial operations, the air traffic system, airport and ground operations, and general aviation operations. Each group was facilitated by a member of industry and an FAA subject matter expert,” the FAA said on its website.
Have An Open Mind
Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen urged the industry to look at all aspects of their operations with fresh eyes and to “question conventional wisdom” while examining ways to further enhance aviation safety, the FAA reported.
Assume Nothing
A best practice in crisis management is to be proactive in finding ways to prevent or mitigate a ... [+]
“There is no question that aviation is amazingly safe, but vigilance can never take the day off,” Nolen said. “We must ask ourselves difficult and sometimes uncomfortable questions, even when we are confident that the system is sound.”
Outline Next Steps
After the morning plenary session, Nolen urged the attendees to discuss specific steps they could take in their respective areas to further tighten the U.S. aviation industry’s already strong safety net.
In late February, Nolen said he planned to appoint a special panel to evaluate the nation’s air traffic system and the FAA’s safety oversight.
Follow-Up
“Nolen said he expects the conversations begun during Wednesday’s safety summit will continue in the coming weeks and months, particularly as spring and summer travel demand rebounds from the recent coronavirus pandemic,” according to the FAA’s website.
“In addition to asking industry stakeholders to develop specific short-term actions, the overall task of pursuing further safety improvements will be the subject of upcoming industry safety meetings,” the agency noted.
Continuing Education
The announced efforts by the FAA to avoid a crisis on the ground and in the skies will provide a continuing education for corporate executives and their staff on the best practices for preparing for and preventing a crisis.
