Aviation Safety Management

Aviation and Safety
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Abstract
Blue Coral Copters is a small aviation company that is owned by Nick Doobie. It specializes in vocational packages for its customers, most of whom are regulars. The company has been having some complications related to safety, most of which are due to the laxity of the management and the corporate culture adopted across all the areas of operation. These are cases that would have to be addressed through the formulation of a Safety Management System. In the past the company had some incidences where check rides are administered by the owner instead of an FAA official, extended working hours for the pilots, cargo doors opening mid-flight, engine over-torques, a bulletin board that is poorly placed and managed, proper training, flying over wires and too close to the water without safety equipment, poor maintenance of the helicopters, crumpled spaces at the ramp without proper markings and the pilots rarely use the checklists. All these are aspects that require serious considerations. This paper offers recommendations for each relative to the formulation of a Safety Management System.
Introduction
Airlines are considered to be the safest mode of transport, compared to road, rail and sea travels. The aspect of safety is linked to the fact that, there are fewer accidents that take place within the industry. While that may be true, it is crucial to consider the fact that, the accidents happen, they are some of the most catastrophic, as they claim hundreds of lives all at once that the damage caused in terms of economic and social elements is immeasurable (Module N° 5 – Risks, 2009). In the recent past, the aspect of safety in airlines has really come under strict scrutiny considering the number of helicopters that have crashed, with an appalling number fatalities and destruction to property. In February there was the TransAsia Airways ATR 72-600 crashed onto a bridge killing all the 53 and two pilots on board in march, the Germanwings A320-200 crashed in France killing all the 144 passengers and the six crews on board. In the latter case, one of the major investigation points relates to the fact that, one of the first officers is suspected of having brought down the plane. It is crashes such as these, which rekindle the elements of safety in the airline industry and the need to have better standards administered to all airlines and officers to ensure that safety of the passengers, the airlines and other stakeholders such as people on the ground and investors are not out under grave risks. Safety is thus one of the fundamental foundations of any airline businesses regardless of the number of flights that they operate, the experience of the pilots, it is the one element that should take center stage in every operation without or without the airlines. As such, a company such Blue Coral Copters is also affected by this aspect and it is crucial that they handle the various risks with their airline with caution to avert dangers, relative to safety mishaps (Module N° 6 – SMS regulation, 2009).
Company profile
Blue Coral Copters is a small company operating 10 single turbine engines helicopters in Hawaii. Owned by an entrepreneur called Nick Doobi...