Experts differ over safety recommendation implementation by aviation agencies

• US NTSB yet to close 12% safety gaps-Demuren

Experts in the aviation industry have listed why it is very difficult for some safety recommendations of Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) to be implemented.

There were however disagreements as some said implementation of virtually all the safety recommendations were panacea to a safe aviation sector.

They spoke at a one day Business Breakfast Meeting third quarter held by the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI) in Lagos with the theme, “Advantages of Implementing AIB Recommendations”.

Former Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Dr. Harold Demuren explained that it was not compulsory that all the recommendations of Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) must be implemented by the aviation regulatory body.

He disclosed that the implementation policies were not entirely successfully carried out, due to the fact that most of the policies had some unattainable implementation process.

He reiterated that the role of AIB was to determine probable cause of accidents, adding that AIB like the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have no legal authority to impose recommendations.

“It is not every case they accept to work together. The regulators must evaluate it and it is a risk based approach”.

“When you look at the risk or cost, they may not implement it. They may defer it. NTSB has made over a thousand recommendations but some gaps are yet to be closed while 82 per cent have been closed,“ he added.

Demuren further stated that is not the amount of recommendations made but the quality of the recommendations.

He reiterated that those that were not implemented, they gave reasons why they could not be implemented because of the risks associated with the recommendations.”

Pioneer Commissioner, Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Dr. Sam Oduselu disclosed that accident investigation can no longer be compromised any more as longer the investigative body is autonomous.

“The stereotype is that investigators are compromised, but I believe investigators can’t be compromised anymore in this country. If you give autonomy, the autonomy must be allowed to work. We usually sit down together with NCAA to have recommendations.

“The unfortunate thing is that reports are written, but they are never in the public domain. The safety recommendations of AIB were written and ended up in the ministry. That is why it is necessary for AIB as autonomous body to go beyond the ministry.”

He explained that he was yet to see any of the agency’s reports turned down because the agencies were partners in progress.

His words, “AIB does not have the powers to enforce implementations. We collaborate with regulators to know when they are implemented. Our recommendations are good for the overall safety in the aviation industry”.

He noted that the collaborations between AIB and other agencies were cordial, stressing that after AIB’s reports, drafts were usually sent to them for perusal and inputs.

He added that using a risk based approach on Airlines must have a positive outlook on the industry which incurs cost but is necessary in order to have an achievable and stabilize industry.

Director-General of NCAA, Capt. Muhtar Usman who was represented by a senior safety officer in NCAA, Mr. Ifeanyi Eteke noted that all reports drafted and issued were analysed and the contents of reviewed and implemented by the aviation regulatory body.

But Akin Olateru, the Commissioner, AIB in his presentation however differed with some of the positions of the participants at the event.

Olateru, who was represented by Mr. Tunji Oketunbi the General Manager, Public Affairs, AIB insisted that both NCAA and AIB could not sit down together to come out with safety recommendations in case of an incident or accident.

Olateru declared that in case of an incident or accident everyone including NCAA was a suspect.

He, however, said that the relationship between NCAA and AIB was over 70 per cent robust, stressing that AIB could only send out safety recommendations to the industry, while the onus of implementation lied with NCAA.

According to him, some of the safety recommendations of AIB had helped to prevent accident in the globe, but wondered why some industry players in Nigeria were reluctant to implement its safety recommendations.

Former Managing Director, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nnamdi Udoh, said that to implement the Annex 13 of ICAO, the leadership of AIB must be experienced, bold and purposeful.

Wole Shadare