BALPA: Conference 2010 review
The key message coming out of conference is that if we want every flight to be a safe flight then we need to act now.
A full report of the conference is being produced by journalist Chris Yates and you can listen to an audio file of one of the key addresses here, but below are the headlines.
Culture is everything
A key note address by Charles Haddon-Cave QC brought home the cultural similarities that lead to disasters such as Columbia, Zeebruge, Marchioness, Manchester and Nimrod XV230. These 12 uncanny, and worrying, parallels between the organisational causes included:
(1) The 'can do' attitude and 'perfect place' culture.
(2) Torrent of changes and organisational turmoil.
(3) Imposition of 'business' principles.
(4) Cuts in resources and manpower.
(5) Dangers of outsourcing to contractors.
(6) Dilution of risk management processes.
(7) Dysfunctional databases.
(8) 'PowerPoint engineering'.
(9) Uncertainties as to Out-of-Service date.
(10) 'Normalisation of deviance'.
(11) 'Success-engendered optimism'.
(12) 'The few, the tired'.
Charles' contribution captured a real concern that is felt amongst pilots but that has been creeping up on the profession for a number of years; the 'normalisation of deviation' as Charles described it. Summing up he said rules were not sacred but principles were and there were 4 principles that are critical;
• Leadership - we saw what went wrong for BP in Louisiana, but it hade been going wrong long before then
• Independence - of regulation from operation
• Simplicity - complexity is the enemy of safety and
• People - its people that make things safe, not processes.
His call to BALPA and each of its pilots was that you have the 'huge privilege of responsibility' and he asked us to use it for the sake of all of us passengers who fly in our care.
A Pilots' Charter
Conference discussed a draft charter (or creed) that seeks to spell out the key commitments that a pilot makes - our equivalent of the Hippocratic Oath. The various commitments are buried in the voluminous ANO and the creed will spell it out simply but profoundly. It is a line in the sand for our profession and a response to that normalisation of deviation. Before adopting the creed we will be seeking members' views.
CAA Independence
Conference heard from Andrew Haines who became the first ever head of the CAA earlier this year. Having been intimately involved in Ladbroke Grove from his time with S West railways he recognises that the CAA's first responsibility is the safety of the travelling public. His aim is not 'to be liked' by any of the key players in the industry, but to be well regarded for the CAA's independence. He said he wanted challenging discussions borne out by facts and good research. He put Human Factors high on his list for action arguing that without action on causal effect the doubling of aircraft movements in Europe over the next 15 years would mean a doubling of accidents as there was little room for engineering or manufacturing safety improvements. On the issue of CAP 371 he encouraged BALPA to look at what comes out of EASA and then make a judgment - he has agreed to meet BALPA scheduling experts to discuss this further.
Fatigue
Conference heard from Dr Barbara Stone of Qinteq and Simon Bennett about the science around fatigue. Barbara spelled out the research done over many years and Simon highlighted new research being undertaken thanks to BALPA funding (members wishing to participate should e mail him on sab22@le.ac.uk)
Conference also heard from Philip Von Schoppenthou of the European Cockpit Association who has been trying to keep EASA's rule making group focussed on sticking to the science when their proposed rules are published at the end of December. Philip spelled out the huge amount of lobbying being done by the industry much of which seems predicated on 'we have had no serious crashes therefore Sub Part Q is working'. The EU's politicians seem to be looking for a quick deal. This will be a crucial area and one upon which Conference pledged to campaign.
Security
In the wake of the security developments of the past 2 weeks, Conference adopted an emergency motion challenging the continuing exclusion of BALPA from top level meetings (despite us having warned of failures in cargo screening for 10 years) and on the thought of further delegation to airports who have already proved themselves as bureaucratic and frustrating for pilots. Conference agreed to look at how we can highlight this with the public and whether an approach similar to our successful police sky marshal campaign 'No Protocol, No Fly' might be mounted.
Bonding
BALPA was also at a Flyer Show this weekend for young aspiring pilots and their families. We were inundated with requests for our new booklet which provides a sobering analysis of the challenges they will face and that they should think about before taking a first step into aviation. Back at our own Conference delegates adopted a motion opposing the abuse of bonding, payment for type rating and using type rating training as a way of airlines dodging their responsibility to employ pilots on permanent contracts.
Awards, guests and election
Conference awarded the title of Honorary Associate to Sandy Mitchell for his service on Flight Safety and to Ron Ball for his time as Log Editor and company council chairman. And to Lord Stanley Clinton-Davis we awarded the title of Honorary Life President is recognition of his 30 years as our President which is drawing to an end.
Other guests at conference included Doug Johnson of the Met Office who described the work they have been doing to get better information on volcanic ash; Ted Grady and David Owens from Boeing and Airbus who described developments in aircraft, flightdecks and training and Peter Tait of CHIRP who described the importance of their independence and how reports are used to bring about change.
Conference agreed to re-elect Mark Searle and Tim Pottage to the positions of Chairman and Vice Chairman of BALPA and Stu Clarke was elected as Flight Safety Group chairman to succeed Sandy Mitchell.