Aircraft maintenance errors are estimated to be involved in 12% of airline accidents worldwide. Records maintained by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) indicate that 4.5% of Australian aircraft accidents involve maintenance deficiencies. Human error in aircraft maintenance is poorly understood and has not been the subject of previous studies in Australia. In late 1998 the Bureau of Air Safety Investigation (now ATSB) distributed a survey to Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (LAMEs) in Australia. The survey was designed to identify safety issues in maintenance, with a…

While improper execution of the flare manoeuvre has been implicated in many landing incidents, very few human factors studies appear to have examined this problem. Our flight simulation study examined three different visual strategies that pilots could use to time the flare. On each trial, non-pilots, student pilots or private pilots were required to judge either: (i) their time-to-contact with the ground; or (ii) an idealised time to initiate the flare. Our data provided some support for the hypothesis that pilots initiate the flare when their perceived time-to-contact with the ground…

The primary aim of this study was the development of a set of normative data that captured the performance of a sample of general aviation pilots during a simulated flight from Wagga Wagga to Bankstown via Canberra, Goulburn and Mittagong. A secondary aim was to consider the impact of pilot qualification on the performance of pilots during the five legs of the flight. Pilots were issued a completed flight plan and all the relevant documents necessary to complete the flight, including weather information, maps, and an aircraft checklist. A total of 34 pilots were recruited to undertake the…

This paper provides a preliminary review of options for making marine pilot transfers safer, as the traditional method of transferring via a pilot ladder has resulted in fatalities and serious injuries. The project included a review of the literature, interviews with pilots and a survey of methods used in other industries for similar tasks. Results indicate that the safety of the current transfer arrangement would be increased through strategies including ladder design improvements, use of fall protection systems and/or use of mechanical personnel elevation systems. Each of these strategies…

The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of forensic DNA-based techniques in identifying species involved in Australian aviation bird strikes. Experimental bird tissues were subjected to severely damaging conditions to determine if DNA could be extracted from these samples. In addition, DNA and feather microscopy databanks were created from the species classified as being the highest risk for strikes to provide reference data to compare against unknown samples. Finally, a DNA sampling kit was created and distributed widely to aerodromes across Australia for collection of…

We presently know very little about how fatigue is being managed in the New Zealand aviation industry. The present study aimed to gather information on how New Zealand aviation organisations are managing fatigue, the different strategies being used, the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches, the barriers companies are facing in managing fatigue, and the resources used or required to help organisations better manage fatigue. Methods All New Zealand-based aviation companies holding a Part 119 air operator certificate were invited to participate in the study (a Part 119…

The ATSB Annual Review 2001 documents ATSB's achievements and safety activities from 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2001 and outlines its business planning for 2001-2002 Producing the annual review is in line with a recommendation of the McGrath report into the former Bureau of Air Safety Investigation released in August 1999 to improve the transparency and accountability of the Bureau. Creation of the ATSB on 1 July 1999 brought together the safety investigation, statistical analysis, research and safety program management of the Commonwealth's transport safety role in one multi-modal agency within…

Fire contributes to aircraft accidents and many fatalities. The growing use of polymer composite materials in aircraft has the potential to increase the fire hazard due to the flammable nature of the organic matrix. The polymer composite most often used in the external structures of aircraft is carbon/epoxy, which is a flammable material that easily ignites and burns when exposed to fire. A large percentage of the cabin interior of wide-bodied passenger aircraft is made using composite materials, mostly glass/phenolic. Phenolic composites have good flammability, but newer materials are being…

Cranfield University in the United Kingdom, working in collaboration with Virgin Blue Airlines in Australia, applied to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau for an aviation safety research grant in 2004. The grant was awarded to support a two-phase research project into evacuation commands used by cabin crew in managing passengers during evacuations. The first phase was a best practice forum and survey, supported by members of the Asia Pacific Cabin Safety Working Group of the Australian Society of Air Safety Investigators, to establish the commands, policies and procedures currently in use…

Many factors contribute to an airline's safety record, some external to the organisation and others internal.� An important internal contribution comes from the manner in which the company's flight operations are managed.� This study addresses the organisational factors impinging on an airline's safety outcome that are subject to influence by managers in their flight operations divisions.� Particular attention is given to evidence of the concept known as 'institutional resilience'. Twelve major airlines in Australasia and South East Asia participated in the study.� The study used a mixed…