Xcelar Newsletters

A publication of XCELAR Quality Management Systems | October 1, 2010 | Edition 2

XCELAR, RAA, and AQP

The Regional Airline Association held its first AQP Working Group meeting at the SkyWest Training Cen-ter in Salt Lake City this past August. The newly formed AQP Working Group is co-chaired by Scot McBride (ExpressJet) and Myrna Andrews (SkyWest Airlines). The kickoff meeting was a huge success! In total, 17 airlines were represented; including 13 pilot, 11 inflight, and 2 dispatch program representatives. The FAA representatives included a representative from AFS 230, as well as three Air Program Inspec-tors, and two Cabin Safety Inspectors. XCELAR, RAA member, sent two representatives to the meetings. The meeting focused on best practices in areas of AQP development, including Phase I and Phase II documentation requirements, Instructor/Evaluator cali-bration (Rater-Reliability), database development, LOE scenario development and event management, data analysis and reporting, and differences training. Cheri Haynes and Jill Toney represented XCELAR. Jill led the group in a discussion of database development, with a technical presentation and a question and answer session. All of the presenters were well received, and the exchange of information was valuable to every level of experience.

The next AQP Working Group meeting is scheduled on November 3-4, at the ExpressJet training facility in Hous-ton.

Next Steps in Safety Management

If your SMS is complex, expensive, and has a project timeline of many years, you are probably going about it the wrong way. Implementing an SMS doesn’t need to be difficult, time consum-ing, or expensive. A Safety Management System is simply a system for managing safety, and managing safety is ultimately about managing risk. The challenge of an SMS is making it ef-fective. An SMS may check all the regulatory boxes, and still not effectively manage safety and risk.

While there are many different ways to implement a safety program, and a number of tools and solutions available to assist with managing safety and implementing an SMS, this simple model illustrates the levels of SMS development and implementation.

Level Zero: Level zero is the pre-planning stage. Corporate goals and objectives are evaluated and assessed, along with resource availability, and the viability of the SMS im-plementation is determined.

Level One: Once the organization’s top-level management has committed to implementing an SMS (both internally and to the FAA), the SMS team must complete a preliminary and detailed gap analysis, and a comprehensive implementation plan (complete with timeline). Once the gap analysis is complete, the implementation plan becomes a road map, describ-ing how the organization plans to close the existing gaps.

Level Two: In level two, the organization develops a risk management process. In this stage, processes are reactive, meaning that the team creates processes that allow the or-ganization to react to unwanted events as they occur and develop remedial actions to cor-rect these problems. During level two, the goal is to correct known deficiencies and plan for further SMS development.

Level Three: Level three transitions the organization from a reactive to a proactive look at risk management. The activities involved in this level require careful analysis of systems and tasks, identification of potential hazards, and development of risk controls.

Level Four: Continuous improvement processes are developed and implemented in Level four. Performance data are collected and analyzed continuously to validate the effective-ness of the SMS system. Continuous improvement processes are maintained permanently. For more information regarding SMS implementation, contact Cheri Haynes at cheri.haynes@xcelar.com

Regulatory Changes: House Bill Update

"I want to be clear that this should in no way detract from out efforts to finish the FAA Bill. I am committed to completing that process." Representative Jerry Costello (D-Ill), Chairman of the House Aviation subcommittee

Unable to pass an FAA reauthorization bill that would tighten pilot training rules, lawmakers stripped those provi-sions from the main bill and added them to a short-term extension of fund-ing, taxes and programs. The extension expires on September 30. The exten-sion bill includes key components of H.R.3371, the Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act of 2009. In March, similar safety language was added to H.R.1586, the primary FAA reauthorization act, which is still in ne-gotiations to resolve unrelated differ-ences between the House and Senate versions of the bill.

H.R.5900, the Airline Safety and Fed-eral Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010, was introduced by Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.), chairman of the House Transportation and Infra-structure Committee (T&I), and Rep. Jerry Costello (D-Ill.), chairman of the House aviation subcommittee, who ne-gotiated with the Senate to add the safety language. The extension added language that will boost pilot-training programs, address pilot fatigue and dramatically increase requirements for airline pilots to have more flying experi-ence by mandating a minimum of 1,500 hours–up from the current 250–before they can fly “commercial aircraft.” U.S. carriers will have three years to meet the conditions.

H.R.5900, which President Obama has signed, creates stronger ATP qualita-tive minimum requirements such as flying in adverse weather conditions–including icing–and mandates the FAA to create and maintain an electronic pilot records database. The bill also requires all web sites that sell airline tickets to show, on the first web page display, the name of the air carrier op-erating each flight segment of a pro-posed itinerary. Among the safety pro-visions added to the FAA extension are mandates for more and better pilot training. Pilots would now be required to have an ATP certificate, which cur- rently is required only of airline captains. The ATP requires a minimum of 1,500 flight hours and additional aeronautical knowledge, crew resource training and greater flight proficiency training.

The FAA and industry groups contend the most important factor is the type of training that is provided, rather than the total number of hours behind the con-trols. For this reason, many airlines have opted to build Advanced Qualifica-tion Programs (AQP), as a voluntary alternative method for training and qualifying crewmembers. AQP is a data driven, proficiency-based method of training. The AQP methodology directly supports the FAA’s goals for safety en-hancement, by achieving the highest possible standard of individual and crew performance.

Both the Air Transport Association and the Regional Airline Association pledged to work with the FAA on new training rules.

In Our Next Issue: We will continue to keep you updated on the changing laws, and their impact on your organization.

To read the entire text of H.R. 3371: Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act, H.R. 5900: Airline Safety and Federal Avia-tion Administration Extension Act of 2010, and H.R. 1586, The FAA Reauthorization Act, go to: www.opencongress.org

Your Questions… Answered

SMS parallels the QMS continuous improvement philosophy and only differs by focusing on improving safety, not product quality.

I hear different organiza-tions talking about SMS and QMS. They seem to be talking about the same thing. Is there a difference between the two?

There are similarities be-tween a Safety Manage-ment System (SMS) and a Quality Management Sys-tem (QMS) - they share the same design tools and sys-tematic structure, but their outcomes are distinctly different. A QMS focuses on the value of its prod-ucts, programs, or ser-vices. SMS focuses on safety, minimizing opera-tional risk associated with human and organizational factors. A QMS enables an organization to identify, measure, control, and im-prove core business proc-esses that will ultimately lead to improved business performance through im-proved quality. SMS paral-lels this continuous im-provement philosophy and only differs by focusing on improving safety, not prod-uct quality. It is worthwhile to focus on creating solid continuous improvement processes that fulfill the requirements of both your QMS and your SMS.

I am new to AQP, how do I get started? Start by downloading the Advisory Circular 120-54A. Once you have read this, contact your local CMO and AFS 230 to notify them of your intention to build an AQP pro-gram. AFS230 will inform you of the application process and get you started. There are also Advisory Circulars related to CRM, Facilitated Debriefs, and LOS Development that you will find useful.

Xcelar has developed a pro-gram for AQP tutoring, educa-tion, and consulting. We can work with you and your AQP team during any stage of im-plementation to fine tune your program, understand an ele-ment, or assist in develop-ment. Contact Cheri Haynes at cheri.haynes@xcelar.com for more information.

XCELAR QM Services

Need help with your AQP development? Does data management scare you? XCELAR’s team of experts includes AQP program managers and trainers from major carriers, database specialists, airline and aviation industry executive management, and technology experts in flight training, aircraft systems, and airline operations. We can review your AQP and recommend next step procedures, fixes, and areas of particular concern. We provide complete packages for any phase of your program or hourly con-sulting. From Phase I through completion and implementation, for flight operations, inflight, dispatch and maintenance, we can bring clarity and success to your program. We specialize in a customized approach to training that incorporates proven technolo-gies and methods with your individual needs and demographics. And we guarantee that the results will be successful and meet FAA standards and approval. Send us an email, call, or visit our website for more information.

INSIDE QMS

XCELAR, RAA, and AQP

Next Steps in Safety Management

Regulatory Changes: House Bill Update

Your Questions… Answered

XCELAR QM Services