NOAA Aviation Safety Program

1
NOAA Aviation Safety Program

• Lieutenant Commander Debora Barr
• NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations
• March 16, 2005

2
Outline

• Background
• Federal Regulations
• ICAP CAS Guidelines
• Safety Program Concept how-to details
• Funding for the Program
• Transition Plan for Implementation
• Next Steps

3
Best in Class
In 2003 I challenged NOAA to reach high and
achieve the goal of being best in class in our
safety program
Now is the time to make safety a core value
and priority in NOAA Conrad C.
Lautenbacher, Jr. Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy
(Ret.) Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans
and Atmosphere
4
Background

• In January 2003 three scientists and a pilot were
  killed in an airplane crash
• Aircraft was flying a Right Whale survey using
  NOAA grant money
• As a result, the NMFS AA requested that NMAO
  review NMFS aerial survey procedures to see if
  safety could be enhanced
• The Director, NMAO expanded this survey to
  encompass all of NOAA

5
Background

• A non-NOAA Aircraft Policy Development Workshop
  was held in Kansas City, Missouri in May 2003
• Policy Development put on hold after final draft
  of workshop report was released in September 2003
• Aviation Safety Program and NAO implementation
  required funding not identified in FY04-FY05
  budget

• FY04
• NMAO requested FY06 funding through FY06-FY10
  PPBES process for the Aviation Safety Program

6
Background

• March 2004 Program Decision Memorandum for
  FY06-FY10
• Establish an Aviation Outsourcing Safety Program
  to include centralized aviation safety training,
  safety equipment maintenance and distribution and
  commercial aviation vendor evaluation. Develop
  NAO for new program. Fund from within existing
  resources.

7
Background

• The phrase fund from within existing resources
• could impact NOAA Programs that use AOC Aircraft

• April and August 2004
• NMAO presented to the Platform Allocation Council
  what the impact would be to Base-Funded
  aircraft operations
• The Allocation Council agreed that safety had to
  be a cost of doing business and requested some
  possible FY05 Line Office/Program funding
  scenarios to support the Aviation Safety Program

8
Background

• Late October 2004
• VADM Lautenbacher was provided with talking
  points for a presentation he was giving to the
  Airline Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA)
• He then requested additional information, and
  ultimately issued the safety stand-down order

• November 19, 2004
• Safety Stand-Down Regarding Use of non-NOAA
  Aircraft issued by NOAA Administrator
• provide a policy for NOAA by April 1, 2005
• stand-down shall remain in effect until a safety
  program for the use of non-NOAA aircraft is
  approved by the NOAA Executive Council

9
Background

• 19 Nov to Mid-December, 2004
• NMAO responds to large volume of questions and
  exemption requests to the safety stand-down

• Late December 2004
• First draft of NOAA Administrative Order (NAO)
  generated

• January 2005
• NAO distributed for limited review comments
  incorporated

• February 7, 2005
• NAO widely distributed for review

10
Background

• March 16-17, 2005
• Workshop to resolve comments and redraft Policy

• March 22 April 8, 2005
• Line Office final review of revised Aviation
  Safety Policy

• July 1, 2005
• New deadline for NEC approved policy

11
Background

• Pre-requisites for Briefing the NOAA Executive
  Council (NEC)
• Schedule briefings and incorporate comments from
• Safety Council
• CFO Council
• Platform Allocation Council
• NOAA Executive Panel (NEP)

12
Background

• May 10, 2005
• NOAA Safety Council Briefing

• May 18, 2005
• CFO Council Briefing

• May 23, 2005
• Platform Allocation Council Briefing

• June 2, 2005
• NOAA Executive Panel (NEP) Briefing

• June 15, 2005
• NOAA Executive Council (NEC) Briefing

13
Federal Regulations

• 41 CFR 102-33 Management of Government Aircraft
• Outlines special requirements when contracting
  for commercial aviation services (CAS)
• CAS agreements must impose civil standards in the
  federal aviation regulations, applicable military
  standards or an agencys flight program standards
• NOAA has established flight program standards for
  AOC aircraft, and needs to establish standards
  for CAS aircraft to ensure that NOAAs mission
  requirements can be met.

14
Federal Regulations

• Commercial aviation services (CAS) include--(1)
  Leasing aircraft for exclusive use or
  lease-purchasing an aircraft with the intent of
  taking title(2) Chartering or renting aircraft
  for exclusive use(3) Contracting for full
  services (i.e., aircraft and related aviation
  services for exclusive use) or obtaining full
  services through an inter-service support
  agreement (ISSA) or(4) Obtaining related
  aviation services (i.e., services but not
  aircraft) by commercial contract or ISSA, except
  those services acquired to support a Federal
  aircraft.

15
Federal Regulations

• Public Aircraft (Title 49 U.S. Code)
•  40125. Qualifications for public aircraft
  status
• Governmental function. The term governmental
  function means an activity undertaken by a
  government, such as national defense,
  intelligence missions, firefighting, search and
  rescue, law enforcement (including transport of
  prisoners, detainees, and illegal aliens),
  aeronautical research, or biological or
  geological resource management.

16
Federal Regulations

• 41 CFR 102-33 Management of Government Aircraft
• Contains requirements for Flight Program
  Standards
• The standards that must be addressed
• Basic qualifications and currency requirements
  for pilots, other crew, and mission-related
  personnel

• Flight-following procedures

• Dissemination of Disclosure Statement (Public
  Aircraft Operations)

• Flight Safety (appoint safety managers)

• Risk Analysis and Risk Management

• Disseminating Accident Prevention Information

• Aviation Safety Council

• Aviation Safety Awards Program

• Responding to Aircraft Accidents

• Aviation Accident and Incident Reporting
  Requirements

17
ICAP CAS Guidelines

• Interagency Committee for Aviation Policy (ICAP)
• There is a need, and to great extent, an
  obligation for Executive Agencies of the Federal
  Government to ensure their CAS are safe and
  efficient operations. ICAP MOU

• The Commercial Aviation Services Quality and
  Safety Guidelines are intended to assist each
  Executive Agency of the Federal Government to
  develop a program to screen contract aviation
  providers and ensure adequate safety and quality
  oversight of their CAS providers. Guidelines

18
Safety Program Concept
19
Safety Program Concept

• Build an Aviation Safety Program modeled after
  other Federal Agency Programs (DOI, DOE) that
  meets NOAAs unique Mission needs.
• No need to reinvent the wheel!

• Train and properly equip NOAA personnel to
  survive an aviation mishap.

• Bring NOAA into compliance with the Federal
  Regulations.

20
Safety Program Concept

• Aviation Safety Policy
• NOAA Administrative Order (governing document)

• NOAA Aircraft Operator Database
• DOI approved Vendors http//www.oas.gov/source/air
  qbe.asp AM A/C Source List

• DOE approved Vendors http//www.ma.mbe.doe.gov/avi
  ation/acdb/fetchall.cfm
• Summary All Current Operators, Accepted Aircraft
  Operator Database

• Others added after evaluation by NOAA
• Aviation Consulting Firm hired to evaluate
  vendors using NOAA checklists

21
Safety Program Concept

• Scope of NAO
• Grants and Cooperative Agreements included
• Right Whale Survey Plane Crash in 2003
• Marine Mammal Observer Colleagues

• Contracts for data collection
• Air Chemistry Sampling

22
Safety Program Concept

• Contract and Agreement Language
• Standardized contract language
• Training for NOAA Contracting Officials

• Responsibility for Aviation Safety
• Organizational Safety Management
• NOAA Aviation Safety Board
• Line Office Safety Officer
• Unit Aviation Supervisor
• Field Unit Supervisor
• Employee (NOAA Personnel)

23
Safety Program Concept

• POV Aircraft
• Federal Travel Regulations authorize use and
  reimbursement for TRAVEL ONLY

• NOAA Scientists/Pilots
• NWS Designated Pilot Program
• Other Line Office authorization of LO
  Employee/Pilot flights

24
Safety Program Concept

• Aviation Safety Training for Personnel
• Basic Aviation Safety and Aviation Safety Manager
  Training
• NOAA E-Learning Modules http//e-learning.doc.gov
  /noaa
• Modeled after DOI and DOE on-line training
  http//iat.nifc.gov/
• Interagency Aviation Training

• Missions Requiring hands-on training receive
• Aviation Safety working in and around various
  aircraft types
• Basic Survival shelter, signaling, water, food
• Water Survival Training egress from submerged
  aircraft, hypothermia, life raft, life vest
• Arctic (Cold Weather) Survival Training

• Training Provided at Annual Safety Conference

25
Safety Program Concept

• Medical Screening
• Reasons for screening
• Physiologic affects of flying can exploit unknown
  or masked medical conditions

• Other Agency Policy
• NASA latest draft policy

• Proposed Screening Forms/Standards
• DD Form 2807
• SF 93
• FAA Third Class Medical

26
Safety Program Concept

• Transportation vs. Mission Operations
• Transportation
• Falls under FAA Part 135 or 121
• Air transportation of persons or property for
  compensation or hire

• Mission Operations
• Flights for purposes other than transportation

• Observer Participation
• One-time participation in Mission Operations
  flights

27
Safety Program Concept

• Aviation Life Support Equipment
• Central Acquisition, Distribution and Maintenance
• Standardized Equipment
• NOAA Dive Program Model

• Unit Aviation Operations Manual
• Manual developed by Aviation Safety Program
• UAS Modify to suit Unit-Specific Policies and
  Procedures

28
Safety Program Concept

• Operational Risk Management
• Risk Assessment Tools developed by Aviation
  Safety Program
• Matrix used by UAS for Pre-Mission planning
• Pocket-Risk Assessment Tool (checklist) used by
  FUS for daily operations

29
Safety Program Concept

• Mishap Response Plan
• Plan developed by
• Aviation Safety Program
• Local Emergency
• Contact Information
• Inserted into Emergency
• Response Checklist by
• UAS

30
Safety Program Concept

• Accident/Incident Reporting and Investigation
• Required by the NTSB, and 41 CFR 102-33.445
• Non-Punitive
• Not a fault-finding exercise!

• NOAA Forms for reporting
• CD 137 Accident Report Form
• CD 351 Hazard Report Form

• Cant evaluate procedures/operations to improve
  safety if we dont know about incidents and
  accidents

31
Safety Program Concept

• Safety Awards Program and Annual Safety
  Conference
• Reward Safe Aviation Operations

• Encourage competition between NOAA Units

• Compete for Federal Aviation Awards

32
Safety Program Concept

• Aviation Safety Program Staff
• NMAO Headquarters - Silver Spring Maryland
• Program Manager

• Program Analyst
• Coordinate Aviation Safety Training
• Coordinate Aircraft Operator Evaluations
• Coordinate/Plan Annual Safety Conference

• Contract Specialist
• Review and assist with Statements of
  Work/Objectives
• COTR for training vendors/aviation consulting
  firms evaluating vendors

• Aircraft Operations Center - Tampa Florida
• Aviation Life Support Equipment Technician
• Purchase, Maintain, Distribute ALSE

33
Funding
34
Funding

• Requires comprehensive information from Line
  Offices
• How many personnel require training and what
  types?
• How many personnel require ALSE and what types?
• Which Aircraft Operators need to be evaluated?

• NMAO will prepare funding options for NOAA
  Management (CFO Council)

35
Transition Plan
36
Transition Plan

• Required to get NOAA from current Safety
  Stand-down mode to implementation of new
  Aviation Safety Policy (estimate 15 -18 months
  Target October 2006)

• Secure Funding for the Program

• Hire Staff

• Aviation Safety Board charter and membership

• Develop Unit Aviation Operations Manual

• Develop Mishap Response Plan

• Develop Risk Assessment Tools

• Develop Accident/Incident Reporting Database

• Evaluate aircraft operators

37
Transition Plan

• Transition Plan Tasks (continued)
• Develop and populate NOAA Aircraft Operator
  Database

• Purchase and distribute ALSE

• Train personnel

• Develop contract/agreement language

• Develop Aviation Safety Awards Program

• First Annual Aviation Safety Conference

38
Next Steps

• Work through issues raised about first draft of
  NAO
• Guidance for redraft of NAO for final review
  Issues to be Resolved.doc

• Propose modification of safety stand-down during
  transition period

• Line Offices provide NMAO with accurate survey
  data for cost estimate
• Number of personnel requiring aviation safety
  training
• Number and types of ALSE required
• List of aviation vendors to be evaluated for
  inclusion on NOAA Aircraft Operator Database

• Line Offices provide NMAO with final comments on
  revised NAO

39
Next Steps

• NMAO briefs the Councils, the NEP, and the NEC

• Proceed with the Transition Plan

40
Best in Class
In 2003 I challenged NOAA to reach high and
achieve the goal of being best in class in our
safety program
Now is the time to make safety a core value
and priority in NOAA Conrad C.
Lautenbacher, Jr. Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy
(Ret.) Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans
and Atmosphere
41
NOAA Aviation Safety
LCDR Debora Barr NOAA Marine and Aviation
Operations 301-713-3435 x103 (office) 240-997-4384
(cell) Debora.R.Barr_at_noaa.gov http//www.aviatio
nsafety.noaa.gov
42
BACKUP MATERIALS
43
Federal Regulations

• 41 CFR 102-33 Management of Government Aircraft
• 102-33.105 What special requirements must we put
  into our CAS contracts?At a minimum, your
  contracts and agreements must require that any
  provider of CAS comply with--(a) Civil
  standards in the Federal Aviation Regulations (14
  CFR chapter I) applicable to the type of
  operations you are asking the contractor to
  conduct(b) Applicable military standards
  or(c) Your agency's Flight Program Standards

44
Federal Regulations

• 41 CFR 102-33 Management of Government Aircraft
• 102-33.140 What are Flight Program
  Standards?Standards specific to your agency's
  aviation operations, including your commercial
  aviation services (CAS) contracts. Your Flight
  Program Standards must meet the requirements in
  sections 102-33.155 through 102-33.185, and they
  must meet or exceed applicable civil or military
  rules. When civil or military rules do not apply,
  you must use risk management techniques to
  develop Flight Program Standards specifically for
  your program.

45
Federal Regulations

• 41 CFR 102-33 Management of Government Aircraft
• 102-33.155 How must we establish Flight Program
  Standards?
• You must write, publish (as appropriate),
  implement, and comply with detailed,
  agency-specific standards, which establish or
  require (contractually, where applicable)
  policies and procedures for--(a)
  Management/administration of your flight program
  (in this part, "flight program" includes CAS
  contracts)(d) Training for your flight program
  personnel and(e) Safety of your flight
  program.

46
Federal Regulations

• 41 CFR 102-33 Management of Government Aircraft
• 102-33.165 What standards must we establish or
  require (contractually, where applicable) for
  operation of our flight program?You must
  establish or require (contractually, where
  applicable) the following(a) Basic
  qualifications and currency requirements for your
  pilots and other crewmembers, maintenance
  personnel, and other mission-related personnel
• (d) Flight-following procedures to notify
  management and initiate search and rescue
  operations for lost or downed aircraft.

47
Federal Regulations

• 41 CFR 102-33 Management of Government Aircraft
• 102-33.165 What standards must we establish or
  require (contractually, where applicable) for
  operation of our flight program? (Continued)
• (e) Dissemination, as your agency determines
  appropriate, of a disclosure statement to all
  crewmembers and qualified non-crewmembers who fly
  aboard your agency's Government aircraft, as
  follows
• Disclosure Statement for Crewmembers and
  QualifiedNon-Crewmembers Flying on Board
  Government Aircraft Operated as Public Aircraft

48
Federal Regulations

• 41 CFR 102-33 Management of Government Aircraft
• 102-33.175 What standards must we establish or
  require (contractually, where applicable) to
  train our flight program personnel?You must
  establish or require (contractually, where
  applicable) an instructional program to train
  your flight program personnel, initially and on a
  recurrent basis, in their responsibilities and in
  the operational skills relevant to the types of
  operations that you conduct.

49
Federal Regulations

• 41 CFR 102-33 Management of Government Aircraft
• 102-33.180 What standards must we establish or
  require (contractually, where applicable) for
  flight program safety?You must establish or
  require (contractually, where applicable) the
  following(a) The appointment of qualified
  aviation safety managers (i.e., those individuals
  who are responsible for an agency's aviation
  safety program, regardless of title), who must
  be--(1) Experienced as pilots or crewmembers or
  in aviation operations management/flight program
  management and(2) Graduated from an aviation
  safety officer course provided by a recognized
  training provider and authority in aviation
  safety before appointment or within one year
  after appointment.

50
Federal Regulations

• 41 CFR 102-33 Management of Government Aircraft
• 102-33.180 What standards must we establish or
  require (contractually, where applicable) for
  flight program safety?(Continued)
• (b) Risk analysis and risk management to
  identify and mitigate hazards and provide
  procedures for managing risk to an optimum
  level.(c) Use of independent oversight and
  assessments (i.e., unbiased inspections) to
  verify compliance with the standards called for
  in this part.(d) Procedures for reporting
  unsafe operations to senior aviation safety
  managers.(e) A system to collect and report
  information on aircraft accidents and incidents.

51
Federal Regulations

• 41 CFR 102-33 Management of Government Aircraft
• 102-33.180 What standards must we establish or
  require (contractually, where applicable) for
  flight program safety?(Continued)
• (f) A program for preventing accidents, which
  includes--(1) Measurable accident prevention
  procedures (e.g., pilot proficiency evaluations,
  fire drills, hazard analyses)(2) A system for
  disseminating accident-prevention
  information(3) Safety training(4) An
  aviation safety awards program and (5) For
  Federal aircraft-owning agencies, a safety
  council.

52
Federal Regulations

• 41 CFR 102-33 Management of Government Aircraft
• 102-33.185 What standards must we establish or
  require (contractually, where applicable) for
  responding to aircraft accidents and
  incidents?For responding to aircraft accidents
  and incidents, you must establish or require
  (contractually, where applicable) the
  following(a) An aircraft accident/incident
  reporting capability to ensure that you will
  comply with the NTSB's regulations (in 49 CFR
  parts 830 and 831), including notifying NTSB
  immediately when you have an aircraft accident or
  an incident as defined in 49 CFR 830.5.(b) An
  accident/incident response plan, modeled on the
  NTSB's "Federal Plan for Aviation Accidents
  Involving Aircraft Operated by or Chartered by
  Federal Agencies," and periodic disaster response
  exercises to test your plan.

53
Federal Regulations

• 41 CFR 102-33 Management of Government Aircraft
• 102-33.185 What standards must we establish or
  require (contractually, where applicable) for
  responding to aircraft accidents and incidents?
  (Continued)
• (c) Procedures (see 49 CFR 831.11) for
  participating as a party in NTSB's investigations
  of accidents or incidents involving aircraft that
  your agency owns or hires and for conducting
  parallel investigations, as appropriate.
• (d) Training in investigating accidents/incidents
  for your agency's personnel who may be asked to
  participate in NTSB investigations.
• (e) Procedures for disseminating, in the event of
  an aviation disaster that involves one of your
  Government aircraft, information about
  eligibility for benefits that is contained in the
  disclosure statement in section 102-33.165(e) to
  anyone injured, to injured or deceased persons'
  points of contact (listed on the manifest), and
  to the families of injured or deceased
  crewmembers and qualified non-crewmembers.

54
Federal Regulations

• 41 CFR 102-33 Management of Government Aircraft
• 102-33.390 What information must we report on
  Government aircraft?
• (a) You must report the following information to
  GSA, Aircraft Management Policy Division (MTA),
  1800 F Street, NW., Washington, DC 20405
• (3) Cost and utilization data on CAS aircraft
  and related aviation services through FAIRS.(4)
  Accident and incident data through the ICAP
  Aircraft Accident Incident Reporting System
  (AAIRS).

55
Federal Regulations

• 41 CFR 102-33 Management of Government Aircraft
• 102-33.445 What accident and incident data must
  we report?You must report within 14 calendar
  days to GSA, Aircraft Management Policy Division
  (MTA), 1800 F Street, NW., Washington, DC 20405,
  all aviation accidents and incidents that your
  agency is required to report to the NTSB. You may
  also report other incident information. The GSA
  and the ICAP will use the collected
  accident/incident information in conjunction with
  FAIRS' data, such as flying hours and missions,
  to calculate safety statistics for the Federal
  aviation community and to share safety
  lessons-learned.