How safety-first aviation learned from automobiles to stay ahead of risks
Steady progress over the 20th century has given air travel an enviable record that other public transport providers can only dream of.
In adherence with the UK’s 1865 Locomotive Act, self-propelled road vehicles needed to be accompanied by a red flag-bearer, some 55 metres ahead on the road, to warn pedestrians of the vehicle’s approach.
The speed limit was just under 6.5 km/hour, so the flag-bearer was 30 seconds ahead of any potential impact. The real impact, of course, was on the horse carriage industry, whose fierce lobbying bought them another 31 years of viability (six years more than the average lifespan of a 19th century horse), until the act was repealed in 1896.
Fortunately, red flag-bearers weren’t an option for early aviators in the 1900s and 1910s. Consequently, the fatality rate was much higher than on the roads, although this would markedly change by the 1930s and 1940s as regulations were introduced and huge headway was made in manufacturing – particularly as a result of World War I and II.
In advent of the first of the world wars, commercial air services started to take off, and pressure was applied on governments to take an interest and regulate. Britain, an early mover, introduced the ‘British Air Navigation Regulations for Civil Flying in the UK’ in 1919, while the US body responsible for air safety, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), although officially established in 1958, can trace its roots back to the mid-1920s.
Since then, it’s been quite a journey. Commercial aviation made some major advances in the 1930s and 40s – notably the introduction of the jet engine and pressurised cabins, which enabled aircraft to go faster, higher and ultimately longer distances without refuelling – and it was crucial the regulators were able to keep up, ensuring safety standards were among the highest priorities of any innovator.
The rest of the century was just as busy for the regulators, as commercial aviation started to grow rapidly and inhabit comprehensive global frameworks.
Among the breakthroughs were the use of radio beacons since the 1950s, and then GPS from the 1990s – both of which were game-changers for air traffic control – the 1969 maiden flights of Concorde and the jumbo jet, which broke new boundaries for speed, distance and capacity, and the global impact of the deregulation of the US industry in 1978.
Already a quarter of the way through the next century, commercial aviation is under pressure to deliver zero-emission flights by 2050, arguably its biggest ever challenge – and so are the regulators, as their measures will need to continue to safeguard passengers without hindering progress.
Suffice it to say: a regulator’s job is never done.
Regulators maintaining a consistent global approach
In Europe, the body responsible for aviation safety is the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Operational since 2003, it has centralised regulations for the EU’s 27 member states, ensuring consistent standards and enforcement that previous European bodies had been unable to fully safeguard.
EASA and FAA have worked closely to unify regulations over the past two decades to the extent that the safety protocols onboard any aircraft in the world are now uniform.
High standards are paramount to aircraft being deemed airworthy, and both bodies mutually recognise certain certifications to streamline international operations.
Furthermore, they work closely with innovators to ensure they are safety-compliant.
This can be challenging, as compliance costs can be extremely high, and the regulatory processes can be drawn out.
But the methods of the regulators have to be 100 percent foolproof, such is the serious nature of aviation safety.
Compliance: a huge cost and a vital component
Compliance is a huge cost to airlines, regardless of how established they are.
For example, a startup airline would need to obtain 14 different kinds of safety and operational certification before it can operate flights – a lengthy process that is one of a myriad of expenses involved.
In total, the startup could end up spending tens of millions of dollars on compliance.
Together, the certificates will ensure the startup’s aircraft adheres to safety and operational standards set by national and international authorities.
The certificates cover a wide range of different safety and operational standards: from rigorous staff training to the maintenance standards of the airline’s dedicated MRO support, as well as the performance capabilities of the aircraft itself.
The process can take so long that it’s not uncommon for the startup airline, drowning in legal fees, to encounter financial difficulties before it’s even begun operations – particularly if a delay to its launch date has caused it to miss a profitable season, such as the European summer.
Once airborne, safety and operational standards continue to be an ongoing, costly concern. The regulatory pressure to adopt new technologies, particularly in the area of ESG, is relentless, as is scrutiny and constant updates of the rules.
Safety standard-related insurance, which tends to account for 30 percent of the startup airline’s premiums, will be highly expensive for industry newcomers, but these payments will likely depreciate over time when the insurers see the airline is seriously dedicated to all matters relating to compliance.
How digital tools can streamline an airline's compliance
Digitalisation has been vital to airlines making their safety compliance more efficient.
Replacing legacy compliance methods, such as paper logs and manual audits, with digital records and AI-powered data analytics eliminates both human errors and decisions based on instinct.
The use of digital twins, for example, enables airlines to test out their safety protocols ahead of being tested by the regulators.
Other tools commonly used by airlines include:
AI-powered compliance management platforms – enables real-time regulation monitoring. A good example is Lufthansa Technik’s AVIATAR platform
Blockchain – enables tamper-proof maintenance logs
Augmented Reality – enables maintenance inspections and staff training to be carried out remotely or in virtual simulations
Predictive analytics – enables proactive safety measures. A good example is GE Aerospace’s Maintenance Insight
How leveraging data can reduce an airline's compliance costs
So how can airlines balance their safety compliance with the cost? How can they guarantee their standards are top drawer, but strategise to keep their expenses down?
Leveraging data is the key, so not just collecting it for a rainy day, but using it for all manner of safeguarding – both today and in the future.
Preventive maintenance will limit costly AOG situations, while AI-powered predictive analytics will enable smart maintenance and scheduling. By using both, the airline can identify risks before they escalate.
Even with the right approach, however, airlines have to ask whether they have the personnel who can correctly interpret all the data.
External consultants, particularly those with expertise in aviation safety, can help fill in the knowledge gaps.
And it cannot be underestimated how important the input of the regulators can be – particularly related to R&D matters. Their early involvement can reduce the risk of the airline spending large sums on R&D, only to discover they need costly redesigns late in development.
SATAIR TAKEAWAY
Commercial aviation has an enviable safety compliance record that other public transport providers can only dream of. Part of its success is that it knows it can never rest on its laurels, so can never tire of checking, regulating and checking again. To achieve this, the regulators must ensure that airlines stay ahead of every conceivable challenge, and data can play an ever-increasing role in informing the airlines of potential risks. Precaution enables airlines to predict, prepare and preclude them – before they become a red flag.