The Airline ProcessMalaysia Airlines

Experiences

Captain Missman LehamFlight Safety and Human Factors, Malaysia Airlines

3rd ICAO-IATA LOSA & TEM Conference13-14 September 2005

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Objectives

To briefly describe some of the processes involved in the implementation of a LOSA programme

To share what we have learned from our own experiences.

LOSA Milestones

Working Team – Selling/Planning/Preparations Selection, Training and Recalibration of LOSA Observers

Data Gathering and Transmission

Data Processing (TLC)

Report - Presentation of findings

Communicating the findings

The next step - SCP.

Malaysia Airlines Fleet Composition

Boeing 747-400

Boeing 777-200

Airbus 330-300

Airbus 330-200

Boeing 737-400

Fokker 50

Twin Otter

17 + 2

17

11

10

39

5

3

Total 104

Our Observations

Observation took place May-July 2004

Operations into 52 Airports observed

285 crew sets observed

309 observation flights carried out

Observation Demographics

Fleet Observation Targets Observations (actual)

A330 50 - 15% 50 - 16%

B737 100 – 29% 95 – 32%

B747 – 200F 20 – 5% 20 - 6%

B747 – 400 40 – 15% 29 – 9%

B777 45 – 14% 41 – 13%

F50 75 – 22% 74 – 24%

TOTALS 330 – 100% 309 – 100%

DHC6 (Case Study Only)

20 20

A Few Good Men

Appoint a dedicated LOSA Manager

A good collection of individual and group skills.

Individuals committed to the concepts of CRM and Threat and Error Management

From as many different fleets as possible

The Young and The Grayed

Important to get the right mix

Form Steering Committee & Working Group

Planting Seeds

Preparation began 2 years before LOSA

Carefully selected snippets of Information LOSA articles from Industry Journals, UT website, Conferences Proceeding Handouts, etc.

Introduction of LOSA concepts into CRM courses and the annual Safety Awareness Programmes

The introduction of Threat and Error Management concepts into Fleet Training.

The Budget

In can be difficult to be accurate

Unexpected advantages presented themselves.

Prudent management allows budget fulfillment.

In Malaysia Airlines, we decided to ticket all observers, after the budget was approved.

Selling LOSA to the Board

Division Senior Management must be convinced

Board must not only approve the exercise, they must endorse the concept.

A Budget must be approved – Don’t forget the bean-counters.

A Management Paper should be submitted

Together with LOSA Manager, the concept must be communicated to the rest of the board members

The Importance of the Pilots Union

It is imperative that the Pilot’s Union become a significant stake holder in this project

The Union should ideally dedicate full time officers to the project.

LOSA is in the best interest of the Pilots

Improving Safety equals better welfare for the Union’s members

Planting more Seeds

Communications Officer should start a carefully planned barrage of more detailed information about the LOSA concept / project

Set up a LOSA Information Website

Disseminate soft and hard copies of LOSA stories from other airlines

Compose an FAQ to be placed on the website and slowly disseminate hard and soft copies of the same.

Early Days

Steering Committee plans regular meetings

Set up a LOSA command centre with dedicated e-mail box, fax and telephone facilities.

The importance of proper documentation, monitoring tasks assignments, action plans; Project Management Software can help

Tasks farmed out to individuals

Regular reference to The LOSA Implementation Checklist, TLC, and other LOSA airlines

The LOSA Year

More Frequent LOSA Working Group Meetings

Selection of LOSA Observers.

Divisional Briefing – Other divisions should understand what we are doing; they can help

Finalise Procedures and communicate them to relevant personnel

Finalise Observer Training Venues

Final Arrangements – The LOSA Survival Guide

Less Frequent Steering Committee Meetings

Divisional Briefing

Security Department – to arrange additional clearances and Identification.

Oversea stations – HOTAC, Transportation, etc.

Technical Support – Head sets and Jump-seat

Cabin Crew – To recognize an observer and assist him to the cockpit.

Catering – Additional Meals for Observers.

Accounting – To pay LOSA observer’s fees and allowances.

Selecting your Observers

Must be computer and Internet savvy

A strong mix of backgrounds, age groups and experience levels.

Personal Notebook Computer ownership would be most advantageous

Must have good writing skills

Must have good understanding of CRM

Remember, these are the Authors of your LOSA

Problems

“We have never done this before”

Decide early if the Flight Safety Department requires more full time staff dedicated to LOSA.

New procedures should be clear and well documented

People will be reluctant to do things differently – Divisional Briefing Helps

People can be very suspicious of anything new

The LOSA

Observation schedules should be drawn up and handed to fleet schedulers.

Observations begin immediately after training is concluded.

Training Week includes 2 days of “Training Observations” and ends with a day of Observer Calibration

LOSA duties should appear on the observer’s individual roster to prevent FTL breaches.

The LOSA

Observers dispatch completed reports directly to The LOSA Collaborative (TLC)

Ensure Observers send in their reports as soon as they are completed – Reports can be edited after submission and resubmitted to TLC.

Be prepared for computer problems such as hard drive crashes and lost reports - Backups

TLC should periodically report number of reports received, in case there is a need to schedule additional observations

Beware ! - The Rogue Observer

Poorly written or weak reports will be discarded and of no value to the analysis

Contingencies should be factored into the planning to ensure sufficient acceptable reports

are submitted.

Writing LOSA reports is not an easy process. Some observers may have difficulty completing their reports

Closing LOSA Observations

Support staff can begin processing observers’ claims

It may be necessary to plan additional observations during the last week of the LOSA programme to make up the minimum numbers required

When TLC confirms sufficient reports have been submitted

Once TLC says “yes”

LOSA Manager can go to the beach Everyday, for 2 months

Straight to the BoSS

The LOSA Report

Board warned of consequences Red-faced Need to be dealt with carefully – shooting duck Joint presentation with TLC Divisional commitment for change

Selling LOSA to the BoSS & “Bean counters”

Summary

Union participation & stake holders

Observers: The Authors of your LOSA

Handle findings with care

Communicate the results

Planting seeds

Do not get over-enthusiastic for SCP ..*

The End….Thank You