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10% rise in air incidents due to human errors: Aviation minister Naidu

Sep 24, 2024 09:38 AM IST

K Ram Mohan Naidu said that globally, human errors have led to 80% of aviation incidents, even though the number of incidents has reduced

Aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) audits have indicated that human factors are one of the contributors to current safety risks, aviation minister K Ram Mohan Naidu said on Monday.

Naidu was speaking at the maiden national safety seminar on human factors in aviation accidents in Delhi. (PTI file photo)
Naidu was speaking at the maiden national safety seminar on human factors in aviation accidents in Delhi. (PTI file photo)

While speaking at the maiden national safety seminar on human factors in aviation accidents in the national Capital Delhi, Naidu said that there has been a 10% increase in air incidents related to human errors.

Naidu said that globally, human errors have led to 80% of aviation incidents, even though the number of incidents has reduced.

“Of the 91 accidents investigated by the AAIB (Aircraft Accident Bureau), significant numbers can be attributed to non-adherence to SOPs (standard operating procedures). I urge all the stakeholders to prioritise continuous skilling, re-skilling, and upskilling of their workforce,” Naidu said.

“Safety must remain on topmost priority, and a well-prepared workforce is the backbone of that commitment that we are going to give,” he added.

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The minister said that there is a need to integrate advanced psychological research into the training programs for aviation professionals, especially pilots and air traffic controllers.

He suggested the use of utilising advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning and data analytics combined with psychological research to help optimise the behavior and performance of pilots.

Naidu said that the industry players need to come out with robust stress management programs.

“It is not just the operators, a collective effort is required and much needs to be discussed on this so that there is a stress-free environment for everyone who is working in the aviation industry to ultimately ensure that there is a lot of focus on safety,” the minister said.

Naidu said that India faces a shortage of qualified aviation psychologists.

“In a country like India, aviation psychology is something that we need to thoroughly look into as an industry and make people derive experience and expertise… there are lack of formal programs and recognition of certifications which handle the development of expertise and establishment of a strong foundation for aviation psychology in India… we will make it somewhat a priority in the future,” Naidu said.

The minister also highlighted the need to equip aircraft engineers with the rising aircraft inventory in the country.

“As modern aircraft become more technologically advanced, it is imperative that India’s MRO (maintenance repair and overhaul) infrastructure keeps pace with global standards. We should aim at having an error proof maintenance system at the Indian hangers.”

Naidu said that there was a need to take all minor incidents seriously.

“It is important for us to look at the minor incidents as well. These occurrences often provide us with invaluable insights into potential vulnerabilities and operational shortcomings, serving as early warnings for some serious events in the past decade,” he said, adding a total of 32 near-miss occurrences were classified as serious incidents by AAIB.

“Many of these serious incidents resulted from non-adherence to SOPs. These are the highest ones and additionally lapses by cockpit crews… Identifying and addressing the root causes of these incidents is crucial for enhancing overall aviation safety,” he added.

“In recent times, we have noticed that some of the incidents happening at the FTOs are also a point of concern. FTOs serve as the breeding ground for the country’s civil aviation sector”, he said while talking about the increase in frequent air incidents and accidents in the aircraft operating for flight training organisations’ (FTOs), he said.

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