09 - Risk Management

Question 1

What is safety?

Answer 1

Aviation safety means all measures to guarantee the technical and operational reliability of all involved participants in the civil aviation.

Question 2

What’s the difference to security?

Answer 2

Aviation security means the safeguard an prevention of civil aviation against acts of unlawful interferences

Question 3

What is risk management?

Answer 3

Permanent, systematic collection and analysis of all potential hazards elimination of all significant risks

Question 4

What is special about the aviation industry in regard to risks?

Answer 4

Aviation has become the most secure industry in the last years

Question 5

Wha have operational risk management and safety management systems become more important?

Answer 5

Because aircraft accident investigations are more efficient

Question 6

What are the three pillars of an efficient risk management?

Answer 6

Organisation -> Process -> Culture

Question 7

Who’s responsible for the risk policy and management process?

Answer 7

The Board of Directors even when the owner of the risks is now the managing board!

Question 8

Give examples to optimize Risk Management in Aviation.

Answer 8

• discuss processes of risks and master risk list periodically
• request demands from employees
• create reward system for optimizing the risk management system
• risks are not only threats but also opportunities

Question 9

How does the risk radar sort risks?

Answer 9

Strategic risks, Operational risks, Financial risks

Question 10

What is the purpose of “managing safety”?

Answer 10

not about achieving absolute safety, it’s about accepting that things will go wrong and control the risks

Question 11

On what should the safety management system focus on?

Answer 11

Maximize opportunities to continuously improve the overall safety in aviation.

Question 12

What are key processes of a safety management system?

Answer 12

• Hazard Identification
• Occurence Reporting
• Risk Management
• Performance Measuring
• Safety Assurance

Question 13

Why does top management need to get involved in safety?

Answer 13

• Legal requirements

- Practical perspective

Question 14

What’s the big difference between accountability and responsibility?

Answer 14

Responsibility can be delegated, but not the accountability!

Question 15

What kind of styles of safety culture do exist?

Answer 15

Blame - Just & Learning - No Blame

Question 16

Where is the probability the highest of having a fatal accident?

Answer 16

high = final approach / landing –> mostly because of human factors: pilots are tired

generally = shorthaul flights as there are more take-offs and landings

Question 17

What are the main human factors which impact safety?

Answer 17

Fatigue, Stress and Culture

Question 18

Explain the Swiss Cheese Model

Answer 18

Each layer of cheese is a defense against something. Breaking through a hole is not a big deal, as we have several layers. But as soon as you see, that the holes are aligning = more problems will come and one should step back and rethink the situation!