Page 7 - Index

Figure 3. The straight track of the fire truck may be a software error.

straight line across the grass in Figure tool from the perspective of an airline’s
3 suggests that data was not collected FDM program, some of the same privacy
correctly, and the gap was filled in by issues that are so important there will
software. This may be an example of a be equally important here. When the
blind spot for the ADS-B ground receiver airport seeks to make use of the data,
at the airport or just a momentary loss it must be clear to all parties that a just
of data. culture is being applied and that the data
Going a step further, investigations is not intended to be used for sanction-
often raise questions about what normal ing personnel. This means that however
behavior is—not the behavior that is re- attractive it might be to some posthold-
quired, but the behavior that is prevalent ers, the data cannot be used to “catch”
on the airfield. Whether this is speed and discipline airside personnel who
limits or mandatory routings, the ADS-B are, say, driving too fast. As an example,
data helps determine what normal is. In at one particular airport, our data team
a just culture, there is an argument that looked at 1,000 trips along a service road
it is counterproductive to punish the parallel to a taxiway and between two
individual whom you have noticed doing remote aprons over a 5-day period. The
something wrong when everyone else is location was chosen for this sample as it
doing it too. From the point of safety in- is a simple straight road and is located
vestigations, the determination of what somewhere where the airside authority
is normal is probably the most impor- is not often present. Three quarters of
tant function of this sort of work. the 1,000 trips along this stretch of road
Figure 4 (see page 8) came from data were made at a speed greater than the
in an investigation into aircraft taxi- 50 kilometers per hour permitted. The
ing practices at an airport. Aside from maximum speeds were above 80. Our
showing the volume of traffic that uses analysis shows that these were not emer-
each of the runway entry points, the gency vehicles.
image demonstrates another use of data, The benefits of a good and reliable
somewhat removed from investigation. data supply to improving safety out-
The image shows that one of the three weigh those gained by sanctioning staff.
runway entries is being used far less fre- To be clear, it is not suggested that an
quently than the others. This could allow airport should not sanction those who
the airport to refine its maintenance violate requirements; the airport just
planning and focus more on the two that cannot make use of the safety programs
are used more frequently. to do so. A possible topic for monitoring
While not part of an investigation, this could be the response times of rescue
sort of work can be seen as proactive and firefighting vehicles. Heat maps to
safety planning that may prevent inci- show the routes taken by these vehicles
dents in the future. and the times taken to get there may
Thinking about this investigation be of use if there are concerns about re-
January-March 2022 ISASI Forum • 7