International Air Transport Association

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International Air Transport Association
NAM/CAR/SAM Air Traffic Services Quality
Assurance Program Seminar Mexico D.F.16 - 20
October 2000
by Peter CerdáAssistant Director, Operations and
Infrastructure - Latin America Caribbean
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REGIONAL OVERVIEW

• 39 FLT INFO REGIONS (FIRs)
• 44 CAAs AUTHORITIES
• OVER 400 AIRWAYS
• MORE THAN 150 INTL APTS
• 76 IATA AIRLINES
• OPERATING IN REGION
• OVER 13,400 FLIGHTS PER
  WEEK
  TO, FROM, WITHIN THE REGION
• 57 MILLION PASSENGERS
  
  TO,
  FROM, WITHIN THE REGION IN 1998
• 120 MILLION PASSENGER EXPECTED
  BY 2010
• AVERAGE ANNUAL TRAFFIC GROWTH IS 6.5

TRAFFIC FLOWS CAR/SAM REGION
HEAVY MEDIUM LIGHT
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CURRENT REGIONAL FLIGHT SAFETY SITUATION

• Region is not unsafe
• Airlines air traffic services operate safely.
• Press statistics are misleading.
• The environment needs improvements.
• State compliance with safety standards required.
• Regional airlines - development of top-notch
  flight safety organizations.
• Quality programs will improve operating safety.
• Reduction in ATS incident/ airmiss frequency is a
  must.

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CURRENT REGIONAL FLIGHT SAFETY SITUATION

• There are critical flight safety factors that
  contribute to ATC Incidents / Airmisses
• Traffic growth
• Facilities services saturation
• Crew and controller complacency
• Skill Levels lagging. Not enough training
• International Safety Compliance

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ATC INCIDENT/ AIRMISS REGIONAL SAMPLE SURVEY

• ATC Incident/Airmiss reports are a yardstick of
  safety risk
• IATA Regional Sample Survey
• The IATA ATC Regional Sample Survey indicates
• ATC Incidents/Airmisses are a major concern for
  airlines civil aviation in the region

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ATC INCIDENT/ AIRMISS REGIONAL SAMPLE SURVEY

• The survey does not contain all the ATC incidents
  experienced by all the airlines.
• It is a sample survey based on reports provided
  by participating airlines.
• Results of the survey are useful in establishing
  the trend and magnitude of the problem.
• It is not the intent of IATA/Airlines to identify
  or categorize States/ FIRs as good or bad.
• It is not the purpose of the survey to assign
  fault or seek punitive measures for reported ATC
  incidents.
• The objective of the survey is to identify
  actions that reduce risk of midair accidents/
  incidents.

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ATC INCIDENT/ AIRMISS REGIONAL SAMPLE SURVEY

• 1996 - 1999 Data
• Total number of reports received by the regional
  office - 450 Reports.
• Type of reports - 307 Incident 143 Airmiss.
• 77 State replies were received by airlines.
• Airline participation
• 12 Regional (AR, AV, CU, JJ, LA, LR, MJ, MX, PL,
  RG, TA, VX)
• 09 North American (AA, AC, CO, CP, DL, FX, QN,
  UA, 5X)
• 10 European (AF, AZ, BA,CV, DE, IB, KL, LH, MP,
  SR,
• 02 African/ Asian (JL, SA)
• 2000 YTD 58 reports

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ATC INCIDENT/ AIRMISS REGIONAL SAMPLE SURVEY
Phase of Flight
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ATC INCIDENT/ AIRMISS REGIONAL SAMPLE SURVEY
Type of Warning
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ATC INCIDENT/ AIRMISS REGIONAL SAMPLE SURVEY
Aircraft Action Required
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ATC INCIDENT/ AIRMISS REGIONAL SAMPLE SURVEY

• Improvement Areas
• Coordination between ACC units.
• Effective verbal communications between pilots
  and controllers.
• Controller training - Phraseology and English
  language skills - Procedure refresher.
• Pilot training - Phraseology - ICAO ATC system
  familiarization.
• Greater airline involvement in reporting
  incidents.
• Analysis of reported ATC incidents and airmisses.
• Mandatory use of TCAS and Mode-C Transponder
  operation.
• Instrument procedures clean-up.

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ATC INCIDENT/ AIRMISS REGIONAL SAMPLE SURVEY

• Conclusions
• Frequency of occurrence is too high and indicates
  a flight safety problem.
• The problem is widespread in the CAR/SAM region.
• Airline reports are not submitted expeditiously
  to the DGAC.
• Response to incident reports from ATS authorities
  is not being provided.
• TCAS is a very valuable operational safety tool.
  Mandatory Mode-C Transponder operation must be
  implemented in all controlled airspace.

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Closing Thoughts

• Everybody has a stake in Safety Pilots, Air
  Traffic Controllers, Airlines, CAA, ICAO, IATA,
  etc.
• Increase awareness through programs such as
  PAAST, GEDIATS.
• Flight Safety works best before accidents occur.
• Flight safety has a high return on investment for
  both ATC Providers and the airlines.
• Safe skies ? Efficient operations ? High quality
  factor.

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IATA Latin America Caribbean Operations
Infrastructure Office
MUCHAS GRACIAS