We in aviation often point to the sterling safety record in commercial air transport and business aircraft operations with justifiable pride. A lot of work has gone into building a robust safety culture that is held in high esteem by other professions and industries around the world. Yet we also have to recognize that a lot more work is needed and that complacency cannot be allowed to set in.
Complacency, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is “a feeling of being satisfied with how things are and not wanting to try to make them better.” It is also a recipe for disaster in flight operations and in the life of any organization responsible for them.
We cannot feel satisfied, despite the year-to-year statistical evidence, that, as an industry, we are doing a good job. Continued advancements in training, technology, human factors research and in the philosophies that guide the world’s regulatory bodies are essential to improving safety.
We must collect,…
