FAA ISSUES SAFETY ALERT FOR AIRLINE OPERATORS
April 5, 2023
On March 22, 2023, the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) issued a Safety Alert for Operators (“SAFO”) as a “Call to Action” to urge all airlines and pilots to take certain actions to mitigate safety risks in response to incidents involving near-miss aircraft collisions at several U.S. airports. The actions largely mirror recommendations made by the airline industry during the FAA’s safety summit. FAA is urging air operators to:
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Use all available internal communication processes to specifically highlight recent events and existing issues.
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Reinforce adherence to published processes and procedures, including checklists, Air Traffic Control instructions, and internal company procedures.
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Ensure pilots and flight attendants have the same understanding of what “sterile flight deck” means and the risks associated with extraneous communication during this time.
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Encourage crews to diligently follow Crew Resource Management (CRM) procedures and principles to control workload and reduce distractions.
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Encourage personnel to identify and report existing and emerging safety issues through voluntary reporting programs and understand the usefulness of the voluntary reporting system.
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Emphasize the importance of awareness of the aircraft in relation to taxiways, runways and other aircraft.
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Review the following previously published SAFOs:
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Ensure Safety Management Systems are accounting for the high rate of change and churn in industry.
If you have any questions, please contact Evelyn Sahr (esahr@eckertseamans.com 202-659-6622) or Drew Derco (dderco@eckertseamans.com 202-659-6665).
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