The Airline Process Malaysia Airlines Experiences Captain Missman Leham Flight Safety and Human Factors, Malaysia Airlines 3 rd ICAO-IATA LOSA & TEM Conference 13-14 September 2005 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Mar 27, 2015
The Airline ProcessMalaysia Airlines
Experiences
Captain Missman LehamFlight Safety and Human Factors, Malaysia Airlines
3rd ICAO-IATA LOSA & TEM Conference13-14 September 2005
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Objectives
To briefly describe some of the processes involved in the implementation of a LOSA programme
To share what we have learned from our own experiences.
LOSA Milestones
Working Team – Selling/Planning/Preparations Selection, Training and Recalibration of LOSA Observers
Data Gathering and Transmission
Data Processing (TLC)
Report - Presentation of findings
Communicating the findings
The next step - SCP.
Malaysia Airlines Fleet Composition
Boeing 747-400
Boeing 777-200
Airbus 330-300
Airbus 330-200
Boeing 737-400
Fokker 50
Twin Otter
17 + 2
17
11
10
39
5
3
Total 104
Our Observations
Observation took place May-July 2004
Operations into 52 Airports observed
285 crew sets observed
309 observation flights carried out
Observation Demographics
Fleet Observation Targets Observations (actual)
A330 50 - 15% 50 - 16%
B737 100 – 29% 95 – 32%
B747 – 200F 20 – 5% 20 - 6%
B747 – 400 40 – 15% 29 – 9%
B777 45 – 14% 41 – 13%
F50 75 – 22% 74 – 24%
TOTALS 330 – 100% 309 – 100%
DHC6 (Case Study Only)
20 20
A Few Good Men
Appoint a dedicated LOSA Manager
A good collection of individual and group skills.
Individuals committed to the concepts of CRM and Threat and Error Management
From as many different fleets as possible
The Young and The Grayed
Important to get the right mix
Form Steering Committee & Working Group
Planting Seeds
Preparation began 2 years before LOSA
Carefully selected snippets of Information LOSA articles from Industry Journals, UT website, Conferences Proceeding Handouts, etc.
Introduction of LOSA concepts into CRM courses and the annual Safety Awareness Programmes
The introduction of Threat and Error Management concepts into Fleet Training.
The Budget
In can be difficult to be accurate
Unexpected advantages presented themselves.
Prudent management allows budget fulfillment.
In Malaysia Airlines, we decided to ticket all observers, after the budget was approved.
Selling LOSA to the Board
Division Senior Management must be convinced
Board must not only approve the exercise, they must endorse the concept.
A Budget must be approved – Don’t forget the bean-counters.
A Management Paper should be submitted
Together with LOSA Manager, the concept must be communicated to the rest of the board members
The Importance of the Pilots Union
It is imperative that the Pilot’s Union become a significant stake holder in this project
The Union should ideally dedicate full time officers to the project.
LOSA is in the best interest of the Pilots
Improving Safety equals better welfare for the Union’s members
Planting more Seeds
Communications Officer should start a carefully planned barrage of more detailed information about the LOSA concept / project
Set up a LOSA Information Website
Disseminate soft and hard copies of LOSA stories from other airlines
Compose an FAQ to be placed on the website and slowly disseminate hard and soft copies of the same.
Early Days
Steering Committee plans regular meetings
Set up a LOSA command centre with dedicated e-mail box, fax and telephone facilities.
The importance of proper documentation, monitoring tasks assignments, action plans; Project Management Software can help
Tasks farmed out to individuals
Regular reference to The LOSA Implementation Checklist, TLC, and other LOSA airlines
The LOSA Year
More Frequent LOSA Working Group Meetings
Selection of LOSA Observers.
Divisional Briefing – Other divisions should understand what we are doing; they can help
Finalise Procedures and communicate them to relevant personnel
Finalise Observer Training Venues
Final Arrangements – The LOSA Survival Guide
Less Frequent Steering Committee Meetings
Divisional Briefing
Security Department – to arrange additional clearances and Identification.
Oversea stations – HOTAC, Transportation, etc.
Technical Support – Head sets and Jump-seat
Cabin Crew – To recognize an observer and assist him to the cockpit.
Catering – Additional Meals for Observers.
Accounting – To pay LOSA observer’s fees and allowances.
Selecting your Observers
Must be computer and Internet savvy
A strong mix of backgrounds, age groups and experience levels.
Personal Notebook Computer ownership would be most advantageous
Must have good writing skills
Must have good understanding of CRM
Remember, these are the Authors of your LOSA
Problems
“We have never done this before”
Decide early if the Flight Safety Department requires more full time staff dedicated to LOSA.
New procedures should be clear and well documented
People will be reluctant to do things differently – Divisional Briefing Helps
People can be very suspicious of anything new
The LOSA
Observation schedules should be drawn up and handed to fleet schedulers.
Observations begin immediately after training is concluded.
Training Week includes 2 days of “Training Observations” and ends with a day of Observer Calibration
LOSA duties should appear on the observer’s individual roster to prevent FTL breaches.
The LOSA
Observers dispatch completed reports directly to The LOSA Collaborative (TLC)
Ensure Observers send in their reports as soon as they are completed – Reports can be edited after submission and resubmitted to TLC.
Be prepared for computer problems such as hard drive crashes and lost reports - Backups
TLC should periodically report number of reports received, in case there is a need to schedule additional observations
Beware ! - The Rogue Observer
Poorly written or weak reports will be discarded and of no value to the analysis
Contingencies should be factored into the planning to ensure sufficient acceptable reports
are submitted.
Writing LOSA reports is not an easy process. Some observers may have difficulty completing their reports
Closing LOSA Observations
Support staff can begin processing observers’ claims
It may be necessary to plan additional observations during the last week of the LOSA programme to make up the minimum numbers required
When TLC confirms sufficient reports have been submitted
Once TLC says “yes”
LOSA Manager can go to the beach Everyday, for 2 months
Straight to the BoSS
The LOSA Report
Board warned of consequences Red-faced Need to be dealt with carefully – shooting duck Joint presentation with TLC Divisional commitment for change
Selling LOSA to the BoSS & “Bean counters”
Summary
Union participation & stake holders
Observers: The Authors of your LOSA
Handle findings with care
Communicate the results
Planting seeds
Do not get over-enthusiastic for SCP ..*
The End….Thank You