The UAE GCAA has launched an on line Reporting of Safety Incident (ROSI) website.
Press Release:
Effective 1 January 2010, ROSI to Create a Centralized Reporting System Across UAE Aviation Authorities;
GCAA introduced 24 hour/7 days a Week Duty Inspector on January 1st 2010
The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) of the UAE launched an air safety incident-reporting program, the Reporting of Safety Incident (ROSI) Program, on 1 January 2010 as part of its new mandate to centralise aviation safety incident reporting across the UAE.
“We recognise the need to constantly improve processes and systems for managing risks effectively; a centralized reporting will ensure effective communication and coordination necessary for higher records of successful incident management,” said Ismaeil Mohammed Al Balooshi, Director Aviation Safety at the GCAA.
With the unprecedented growth seen in the country’s aviation industry, the new program underlines the GCAA’s commitment to deliver both safety and quality processes of world-class standards.
In recent years, several key initiatives and programs have been introduced by the GCAA to ensure safety of air transportation both in the UAE and across the region’s aviation industry.
However, experts in aviation safety programs believe the new centralised reporting program (ROSI) is a milestone achievement in raising air safety standards across a region that is set to record further rapid growth in coming years.
The program includes reporting of safety incidents through GCAA website using ROSI form. The GCAA introduced the role of Duty Inspector on 24 hour/ 7 days a week availability to act as a focal point for receiving information about critical or high profile accident/incident over telephone. The launch of this position coincides with the introduction of the ROSI program to facilitate the effectiveness of the program and a centralised air safety reporting system.
Al Balooshi added: “Along with high levels of growth and expansion comes increased challenges that require effective regulatory responses. The introduction of a centralised air safety incident reporting program will contribute to our efforts in maintaining a successful aviation transport safety record as a country, it will also allow us to monitor trends in the reports which will help in identifying possible risks to the safety of aviation in the UAE ”
To introduce recent initiate on the centralized reporting of safety incident (ROSI), Capt Saeed Rahman, ROSI Development Team Leader at GCAA, presented a session about ROSI program on December 28 at the Emirates Aviation College Auditorium, Dubai. The session was attended by about 75 representatives of the aviation industry who are involved in safety incident reporting.
The highlights of the presentation were, the importance of centralized incident reporting and the procedures to report through GCAA website.
If I am reading "between the lines" correctly (and do not in any way claim I am correct), it appears the GCAA has decided they are uncomfortable with the current ASR reporting method.
I assume the reason why is because they are aware that UAE airlines (I assume EK is the primary culprit here given it is the one I am most familiar with) who have used "editorial license" over the past 5-6 years in an attempt to "massage" ASR reports (especially fatigue related reports) to the company's benefit before they are forwarded to the GCAA.
This feels to me to be similar to the last time they looked at EK: when previous GCAA audit's revealed the majority of EK pilots were "exceptional" given the "5's" they received on each and every 6 month PPC. The outcome to that audit was the recent changes to the EK PPC performance grading system.
If this is the case, it is a landmark change in the flight safety culture within the UAE. Pilots within EK have long known their ASR's have been altered as they have progressed through the company's reporting system before making their way to the GCAA. This has led to a common belief that ASR's written within EK are only done to "cover one's ass" to account for a possible flight safety occurrence and in no way is written with the intent of truly furthering flight safety within the company (irrespective of Tim Clark's recent idiotic ramble).
No direction from EK management yet on how we are expected to work within this new GCAA reporting system but there is a link the the new website with the on line reporting format:
GCAA - Reporting Of Safety Incident (ROSI)
From the website:
Details
ROSI : Welcome
Effective January 1, 2010, GCAA is launching Reporting of Safety Incident (ROSI) program through the website.
• Objective of the Reporting of Safety Incident (ROSI) is to provide timely and effective regulatory response through centralized reporting, technical inquiry or regulatory investigation when necessary and analysis of the data for safety promotion.
• As part of Safety Management System, data collected through ROSI will assist identifying hazards and associated risks in the air transportation system, which require short term or long-term corrective measures depending on the level of risks.
• As part of centralized safety incident reporting, ROSI shall replace existing ASR and MODR.
2. ROSI DEVELOPMENT
Over the years, various methods were used in GCAA for collecting information about aviation incidents and accidents. While recognizing the need to improve the process for managing risks effectively, following an internal and external consultation, GCAA undertook a project to introduce Reporting of Safety Incident (ROSI) through website. ROSI shall replace existing Mandatory Occurrences/Defect Report (MODR) and Aviation Safety Report (ASR).
First phase involved development of an electronic form, which can be accessed by all operators in the website. Most of the terms used in this form are commonly used by the operators in their incident reporting; as well meets the ICAO recommended taxonomy. There is an extended part of the form, which is designed for internal GCAA users for capturing information on major response activities.
Second phase of the development will involve harmonizing ROSI with any international standards and practices including categorization of incident, data analysis, generating semi-annual reports, and providing tools to the users to retrieve data for safety promotion activities.
3. REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS
CAR–OPS 1.420(b)(2), CAR OPS 3.420(b)(2), CAR 21.3(b) and CAR Parts V & VI
4. ROSI FORM – CONTENTS
PART 1 GENERAL
PART II - PHASE OF FLIGHT AT TIME OF INCIDENT / IRREGULARITY
PART III - AIRCRAFT CONFIGURATION AT TIME OF INCIDENT / IRREGULARITY
PART IV - METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AT TIME OF INCIDENT / IRREGULARITY
PART V- AERODROME CONDITIONS AT TIME OF INCIDENT / IRREGULARITY
PART VI - INCIDENT / SAFETY ISSUE (Check all items as appropriate)
PART VII – AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE INCIDENTS
PART VIII - ATC INCIDENT
PART IX – SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE INCIDENT
5. LOG-IN & PROCEDURES TO FILL-OUT THE FORM
Please follow the step by step user manual to submit a successful ROSI to GCAA Authority.
Click here to Download
6. TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY
For any technical difficulty regarding GCAA website access or submitting the form, please contact GCAA IT at +04 2111604 or email:
[email protected]
(26/12/2009)
The key information above is the following:
ROSI shall replace existing Mandatory Occurrences/Defect Report (MODR) and Aviation Safety Report (ASR).
Given the above (and as the UAE GCAA issues my license), until further directed by EK I plan on forwarding all safety related incident reports directly to this ROSI website (you need to create a user name and password to submit reports; I suggest you all do so).
In addition, there is now a direct phone number where you can speak with the authorities directly on safety related issues. This is another key step forward to which I give a huge thumbs up to the authorities.
If they are true to their word (via the press release), this is a momentous leap forward in aviation safety in the UAE. I hope it is as transparent as depicted; only time will tell.
Safe flying.
Dune