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…

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…

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 method…

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…

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…

Commercial air travel remains the safest mode of transport available in OECD countries. Commercial airlines in Australia do not require infants under the age of 24 months to occupy their own seats during flight. However, the children carried in the arms of adult passengers must be restrained during taxi, take-off, landing and turbulence. The aims of this project were to review the developments in safe transport of children in aircraft and to conduct a test program based on current Australian child restraint systems (CRS). This initial program was later extended to include the assessment of…

This information paper seeks to provide people without an in-depth knowledge of the practice of 'Human Factors' a general plain English explanation of what Human Factors is, how it has evolved, and how it is applied to aircraft accident and incident safety investigations. The paper also gives a brief explanation of international agreements and Australian law as they apply to aircraft accident and incident investigations. Human Factors, which includes 'Ergonomics' as it is called in some industries, is the practice of applying scientific knowledge from varied, mostly human science disciplines…

Commercial aircraft involved in high altitude operations are generally pressurised to protect the occupants from the adverse effects of hypoxia, decompression illness and hypothermia. Failure of the pressurisation system is a potential threat to flight safety. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and consequences of aircraft decompression events in Australian civil aviation. The aim was to document the prevalence, nature, type, degree and extent of decompression events in Australian civil aviation, as well as the consequences of such events, especially hypoxia and…

Drug and alcohol use in pilots can have a detrimental impact on aviation safety. Important cognitive and psychomotor functions necessary for safe operation of an aircraft can be significantly impaired by drugs and alcohol. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and nature of drug and alcohol-related accidents and incidents in Australian civil aviation. A search of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau's accident and incident database was conducted for all occurrences in which drugs or alcohol were recorded between 1 January 1975 and 31 March 2006. There were 36 drug and…