Page 26 - Index

of safety management and a risk-based
26 • January-March 2022 ISASI Forum
(ICMs), in certain regions of the world.
approach as the core tools to help manage States that formed or joined into such
increasingly complex aviation systems. It organizations would be able to assist each
also encourages the use of harmonized safe- other with implementation issues as well
ty enhancement initiatives to address gaps as with resources when one of the states
in effective implementation of the critical has to investigate an accident that requires
elements of a state’s safety oversight system. additional resources the state does not
GASP’s vision is to achieve and maintain the have. Some of these organizations have been
aspirational safety goal of zero fatalities in in operation for many years, such as the
commercial operations by 2030 and beyond. Interstate Aviation Commission, and others
In line with the GASP, each state is encour- are currently being formed in South America
aged to develop a national aviation safety and the Middle East. As an implementation
plan and participate within their corre- support effort, ICAO also initiated a RAIO
sponding regional aviation safety plan. The cooperative platform to assist RAIOs and
strategic direction for the management of ICMs. In this cooperative platform, sharing
safety for a set time will be presented within of experiences and documentation is being
those plans. Each plan should be developed encouraged. ICAO guidance material for
in line with the GASP goals, targets, and RAIOs is available in the Manual on Regional
high-risk categories of occurrences. The Accident and Incident Investigation
national aviation safety plan demonstrates Organizations, Doc. 9946.
commitment to the implementation of key
activities to improve safety in the state, for Release of Factual Information
example, strengthening the state’s accident Touching on an old subject is cooperation
and incident investigation capabilities to with the media. I would submit to you that
meet the state’s safety objectives. this is an area known to be related to the
Accident and incident investigations con-
tinue to be featured as key safety enhance- public and political pressure for instantane-
ous information about an accident. While
ment initiatives and are an essential part of acknowledging some concerns on the part
the GASP goals related to “achieving a con- of investigation authorities regarding the im-
tinuous reduction of operational safety risks” pact on the accuracy of investigation infor-
and “strengthening states’ safety oversight mation, it is my firm belief that accident in-
capabilities.” Recent events have once again vestigation authorities need to reassess their
shown that the global aviation community communication strategies to proactively face
and the traveling public consider that Annex this challenge, recalling that the needs of the
13-type investigations shed light on safety media should not interfere with the proper
concerns and continuously improve safety. conduct of the investigation. The overall
Indeed, accident and incident investiga-
tions have provided lessons of indisputable goal would be to promote dissemination of
factual information and to minimize spec-
importance on how to improve aviation ulation and rumors about the occurrence.
safety, noting that new strategies may need This concern surfaced again in the aftermath
to be developed to further reduce the overall of the Ukraine International Airlines Flight
accident rate. As you may be aware, the 752 accident and investigation when families
investigation community has been attentive of victims were expecting information. If
to the needs of the aviation system and in- the factual information is not released in a
creasingly incorporates a systems approach structured, formal way, the families resort to
during investigations. To this effect, much ef- all kinds of ways, which may contribute to
fort has been made on the proper implemen- misinformation shaping the public narrative
tation of investigation provisions in states. about the accident. This was a topic for an
It is noted that more and more independent AIGP working group, and recommendations
accident investigation authorities are being were made by the AIGP during the May 2021
established in member states, to name one meeting to amend Annex 13 and related
such advance.
guidance material.
Regional Accident and Incident AIGP Work
Investigation Organizations ICAO remains dedicated to the advancement
ICAO has been encouraging states to form of investigation techniques and procedures,
regional accident and incident investigation aiming to further help investigation author-
organizations (RAIO), or what is known ities meet their obligations called for in An-
as investigation cooperative mechanisms nex 13. In November 2020, a new definition