Improving African Aviation Safety in 100th Year of Commercial Aviation

Aviation in Africa looks bright And the African youth can make it Happen  

2014 marks 100 years of commercial air travel. On January 1, 1913, a single passenger crossed Tampa Bay in the United States on the world’s first regular scheduled flight service. Since that landmark, air transport has grown from one passenger on one route to 3.3 billion passengers on more than 40,000 routes. Air connectivity has transformed people’s lives, widening their horizons, culturally,socially and economically.

This year the African Union marks its 50th year and air transport has never been more relevant to the organization’s aim to promote African integration. For a vast continent with challenging natural barriers to ground transportation, aviation is crucial for connectivity and development. Moreover, aviation supports 6.7 million jobs on the continent, with a significant proportion of those in high-tech and advanced skills work.

In monetary terms, the industry stimulates a $67.8 billion contribution to Africa’s GDP. Aviation facilitates tourism and business services, while air freight is crucial for the success of African organic produce, and supporting a growing manufacturing base.

African governments have much to gain from pursuing growth and connectivity. Improved safety is absolutely central to that goal. Safety is clearly uppermost in our minds at the moment. Our thoughts are with the families and friends of all on board flight MH370.

This tragedy reminds us that safety is a constant challenge everywhere. And every accident and every fatality in aviation re-dedicates the entire industry to making flying even safer.

One way we do this is to investigate the accident thoroughly and from the conclusions drawn, apply any recommendations. In parallel, we must ensure that the global standards and best practices which already exist are applied and implemented.

This is a challenge for Africa. As of the end of 2013, only 11 African states had achieved 60% implementation of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) safety-related standards and recommended practices. That is why aviation stakeholders including IATA, ICAO and others have united behind the Africa Strategic Improvement Action Plan aimed at addressing safety deficiencies and strengthening regulatory oversight capabilities. This action plan was endorsed by States of the African Union in the Abuja Declaration of 2012.

The Abuja Declaration has a target to bring the African accident rate in line with the global average by 2015, and the action plan commits States to:

Ø Adopt and implement an effective and transparent regulatory oversight system. This includes mandating the implementation of the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) to all airlines

Ø Implement runway safety measure

Ø Training on preventing loss of control

Ø Implement flight data analysis (FDA)

Ø Implement Safety Management Systems (SMS)

Ø Operation Health and Safety Management System (OHSAS)

Evidence already shows that applying global standards can make a difference in African aviation. There has been progress in recent years. The Western-built jet hull loss rate improved 55.4% between 2012 and 2013, while the region’s accident rate for all aircraft types improved nearly 50% (7.45 accidents per million flights from 14.80 in 2012).But despite this, it remains a fact that on average in 2013, there was one accident for every 493,000 flights on Western-built jets in Africa. That was almost five times the global average. And we cannot take the recent improvement trend for granted.

To make these gains a sustainable foundation on which to achieve world-class safety levels is going to require the continued determination and commitment of all stakeholders, including governments. Global standards are the key. Governments must effectively regulate them. And airlines need to operate using them.

An example of a global standard which airlines can implement is the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA). IOSA is a requirement for all IATA member airlines, but it is an open program, not an exclusive club. Of the 390 airlines on the IOSA registry at the end of 2013 about a third are not IATA members, and together their safety performance was more than twice as good as those carriers not on the registry.

African airlines on the IOSA registry are performing almost seven times better than non-IOSA operators in the region, and the International Airline Training Fund commenced a program to assist ten airlines who wished to prepare for an IOSA inspection. Of these, three are now on the IOSA registry and a fourth is expected shortly.

This year, we will extend this Implementation Training Initiative to a further 10 eligible airlines in Africa. And we are also beta testing a Basic Safety Audit Program. This is not an IOSA-light, but it can be used by airlines whose nature or scale of operations is outside of the IOSA scope.

Over the years there have been many initiatives to improve African safety. While progress has been made, the problem has not been solved. This time could be different. The eyes of the world are on the continent’s economic expansion. It is a great opportunity to co-opt that into support—technical and financial—for connectivity that underpins economic ties.

" But that will only happen if there is a solid commitment on the part of African governments at the highest levels. Everyone knows what needs to be done. Now we need tangible signs from African governments for a strong and comprehensive follow-up program. Besides the aviation professional and enthusiastic African youth can be of immense help ". As I foresee and believe in the African youth and their perseverance to get Africa reach the highest category in Aviation Safety.

The aviation industry is determined and eager to work with all governments and stakeholders in Africa to deliver the highest safety standards. 100 years after the first passenger flight, African aviation stands poised for an amazing decade of growth and opportunity – let us be sure this chance is not missed.

Source - IATA