Years ago an industry panel developed the "Dirty Dozen" list that identified hazards in aviation, focused on mishaps that were occurring in air carrier operations. Take a look at the list and see which ones we've made some progress towards eliminating through introduction of new technology, training and operational procedures. Then consider which ones are still basically uncontrolled. The areas where we still need a lot of work are highlighted in bold.
1. Midair collision-TCAS
2. Inadequate terrain separation-Enhanced GPWS, use of minimum safe/vectoring altitudes
3. Unstabilized approach-? See # 5. SOPs, approach gates for configuration, airspeed, altitude. Visual and electronic glide paths. Wind and surface info.
4. Weather related damage or injury-? SOPs and personal mins for turbulence, icing, convective activity
5. Runway excursions-? See # 3.
6. Abort before 100 knots-SOP
7. Significant operational deviation-SOPs and personal minimums, CRM.
8. Runway Incursion-ASDE-X at a few airports, but what about widely used cockpit technologies?
9. Landing on wrong runway/airport-Precision nav (FMS). Approach brief. Backup with instrument approach procedure. Landing clearances.
10. Altitude deviation-Readback hearback. CRM. Use of autopilot as additional crew.
11. Navigation deviation-Use of precision nav sources, GPS, FMS.
12. Ground injury or damage-? Slow down and be familiar with airport surface ops.
We need to get a lot smarter and technologically advanced with regards to surface operations, because hazards will exponentialy compound as the number of operations increases. In some ways we are more exposed to hazards on the ground, because flight planning and ops support may not focus as much on these phases of "flight". We need to be very familiar with the winds, surface conditions, runway lengths, geometry and facility layouts, airport lighting and approach systems.
We also need to be aware that the priority guidance to "Aviate, Navigate and Communicate" is essentially reversed when we are on the ground. The focus on the ground is to "Communicate", to listen and build a mental model of where other aircraft and vehicles are. Keep in mind that vision is our primary sensory input, and now we are asking the brain to shift priority to listening.
The next priority is to "Navigate", we must know at a minimum where we are, in order to get to where we want to be. Charts and electronic moving maps assist in this area, but the key is to "Look outside".
Lastly, it is harder to "Aviate" on the ground, we are not "aircraft" in this regime but rather ground vehicles with limited visibility, reduced maneuverability and many of our warning systems have little or no functionality on the ground. Couple this with the fact that the areas we are maneuvering in are confined and many times unfamiliar, and the fact that the runways are areas where there is great potential for a high energy collision, then we certainly have challenges to manage.
What can be done to improve the system? The first step is to study the operational environment, and the next step is to identify hazards, so that we can avoid them and implement programs to eliminate them. One good way to do this is to put in a report via NASA ASRS, because folks who manage airspace systems need this information to improve the system. Another good investment is to participate in the Wings program, and dedicate ourselves to lifelong learning in our chosen craft. The best way we will learn is from each other.
Fly Smart,
Kent