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Aviation Safety Questions and Answers
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List three strategic objectives of ICAO and discuss their importance in international aviation. ✔✔1) Transparency and sharing of safety information
Greater involvement of regional safety organization
Increased cooperation between regulators and industry stakeholders
- The ICAO is important to international aviation in that they are the organization tasked with the safety, security, and sustainability of international civil aviation.
Chapter 1 p. 5, p. 2 (respectively)
Discuss the significance of the Paris Convention of 1919. ✔✔The second Paris Convention was
held to deal with the technical, operational, and organizational aspect of civil aviation, and the proceedings of the convention was ratified by 38 states.
Chapter 1 p. 3
What were the important accomplishments of the Chicago Convention of 1944? ✔✔1) Complete
modernization of the basic public international law of the air.
Technical and operating aspects reviewed such as airworthiness of aircraft, ATC, and air navigation services.
Regions and regional offices established.
Provisional International Civil Aviation Organization (PICAO) established until the permanent ICAO came into force.
ICAN was dissolved and the Havana Convention was superseded.
- Additional information in each of those areas found on pg 4
Chapter 1, p. 4
List three major functions of the FAA and discuss some of the activities that support these functions. ✔✔Functions:
Regulating civil aviation to promote safety
Encouraging and developing civil aeronautics
Developing and operating a common system of air traffic control
aeronautical research and development programs; and provided for the investigation of aviation accidents.
- The Aeronautics Branch was formed to oversee the implementation of the new laws.
Chapter 1, p. 8
Distinguish between the Civil Aeronautics Authority (CAA) and the Civil Aeronautics Board
(CAB). ✔✔The CAA was was created in 1938 with the passage of the Civil Aeronautics Act,
and was responsible for safety programs and economic regulations which included route certificates, airline tariffs, and air mail rates. In June of 1940, under the Reorganization Act of 1939, the CAA was transferred back to the Department of Commerce, and the CAB was created and was responsible for regulatory and investigatory matters.
Chapter 1, p. 9- 10
Discuss some of the factors that lead to the passage of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, and identify several of the safety provisions of this act. ✔✔The midair collision over the Grand
Canyon helped promote congressional authorization of increased levels of safety-related research and more federal inspectors which ultimately lead to the Federal Aviation Act of 1958. Some of
the safety provisions of this act included minimum standards for the design, materials, construction, and performance of aircraft engines, propellers, and appliances, reasonable rules and regulations and minimum standards for inspections, and reasonable rules and regulations governing the reserve supply of aircraft.
- Additional safety provisions (and in more detail) found on pg 7-8.
Chapter 1, p. 7-
What was the primary reason for the passage of the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978?
✔✔Because Congress believed that it would increase competition, enhance passenger service,
and reduce commercial airline fares. There was also widespread dissatisfaction with CAB policies.
Chapter 1, p. 12
Describe the major provisions of the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Act of
- ✔✔A very long and detailed list of the new regulations included in the Act can be found in
Chapter 1, p. 14-16.
- The Noise Control Act (tightened noise emission standards permitted by aircraft in the aviation industry).
-A list of all the acts passed by the EPA found between pages 17-22. They all affected aviation in some way.
Chapter 1, p. 18, 18-19, and 21 (respectively)
Explain the evolution of OSHA. ✔✔Before OSHA was established the responsibility for
occupational safety and health rested with individual states, and the industrial sector was rampant with a wide range of exposures that maimed or killed workers. Most notable was the textile fire of 1911 that killed 146 textile workers because most of the exits had been blocked in order to prevent theft. This motivated federal intervention, which ultimately lead to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Act of 1970.
Chapter 1, p. 22-
Discuss the major OSHA acts that are relevant to aviation, giving examples of each. ✔✔1) Lead
standard introduced in 1978 (affected aviation battery maintenance and aircraft painting and stripping)
Medical and exposure records standardized 1980 (introduced such things as testing for blood and other potentially infectious material exposures for flight attendants or other aircraft cleaning crew)
Electrical standards updated 1981 (affected aircraft manufacturing and assembly, and hanger and other maintenance shop activities).
Chapter 1, p. 24-
Discuss the organizational structure of the ICAO, and describe the functions of its three governing bodies. ✔✔Organizational Structure:
ICAO headquarters are in Montreal, Canada, with seven regional offices throughout the world. These regional offices are very important to coordinate international aviation policy and standards.
Three Governing Bodies:
The Assembly (reviewed the complete work of the organization in the economic, legal, and technical fields)
The Council (gives continuing direction to the work of ICAO by adopting and incorporating ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARP's))
The Secretariat (Keeps the Standards (Rulemaking) process of ICAO current)
branch in charge of en route and oceanic services, system operations services, technical operations services, and terminal services. Aviation Safety is another important FAA organization which encompasses a wide range of Agency functions and responsibilities with many field offices such as the Office of Accident Investigation and Prevention, the Office of Aerospace Medicine, and Air Traffic Oversight Service.
Chapter 2, p. 39-
What does Section 601(b) of the FA Act say about an air carrier's responsibility for safety? ✔✔The FA Act recognizes that the holders of air carrier certificates have a direct responsibility
for providing air transportation with the highest possible degree of safety.
Chapter 2, p. 43
Why are most day-to-day inspections, reviews, and sign-offs performed by the airlines, not the FAA? Give examples of how an air carrier might demonstrate its inability or unwillingness to
carry out its duties as set forth by the FA Act. ✔✔The aviation system depends on self-
inspections as it is simply not possible for the FAA to make every inspection on every airplane in every location around the world. Unwillingness of an air carrier to carry out its duties set forth by the FA Act include:
- Repetitive noncompliance with minimum standards
- Lack of knowledge and understanding of minimum standards
- Inaccurate record keeping procedures
- List given in more detail on pg. 44
Chapter 2, p. 44
How has inspector workload been affected since airline deregulation? Why has it been difficult
attracting inspectors to major metropolitan areas? ✔✔Inspector workload has been greatly
affected by airline deregulation. Every time a new airline has been formed, another airline places a new type of aircraft into service, or two airlines have merged, flight standards have been changed - certifications that require a page-by-page approval by the FAA. As to the second question, I couldn't find the answer in the textbook and so asked my professor, and he said that as an FAA inspector of 20 years, there was no difficulty attracting inspectors to major metropolitan areas, and to ignore the question. You may want to ask your professor to see if you get a different answer.
Chapter 2, p. 45-
Chapter 2, p. 47
Discuss the FAA rulemaking process, and explain the basis for the NPRM being published in the Federal Register. ✔✔The major steps in the FAA rulemaking process are clearly displayed in
Figure 2-4 on pg 48. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is published in the Federal Register so that the general public has an opportunity to comment or suggest changes that should be made.
Chapter 2, p. 49
Explain the rulemaking process of OSHA and the EPA. ✔✔OSHA can initiate new standards on
its own or if petitioned by other parties of relevance. If it is determined by OSHA that a specific standard is warranted, one or more of several advisory committees may be asked to work on specific recommendations. The EPA rulemaking process is similar to that of OSHA. Initially, an authorized agency decides that a regulation may be needed, and the EPA then researches the need for the regulation and proposes it if needed. The proposal is then listed in the Federal Register (as is the proposals for OSHA) and public comment is recorded and discussed.
Chapter 2, p. 54, 58 (respectively)
Discuss the organizational structure of OSHA and describe the functions of its nine directorate offices. ✔✔Directorate of Administrative Programs (p. 50)
Directorate of Construction, and Directorate of Enforcement Programs (p. 51)
Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs, Directorate of Training, Directorate of Standards and Guidance, and Directorate of Information Technology (p. 51)
Directorate of Evaluation and Analysis, and Directorate of Technical Support and Emergency Management (p. 53).
Discuss the organizational structure of OSHA, and describe the functions of its 13 major offices.
✔✔The EPA is comprised of 13 major offices and implements its regulatory authority through 10 regions across the country. Lists and details of the 13 offices found on pages 56-
Discuss the role of ICAO and NTSB in international aviation accident investigations. What is an accredited representative? ✔✔The ICAO is charged with accident investigations on a worldwide
basis, with the law (Annex 13 of the Chicago Convention) stating that the responsibility for an investigation belongs to the member state in which the accident or incident occurred, that all ICAO states that may be involved must be promptly notified of the accident occurrence, and that other member states might be allowed to participate based upon their relationship to the accident. The NTSB is primarily charged with accident investigation in the US, however, the NTSB does participate to a greater or lesser degree in the investigation of commercial aviation accidents
scene. The go-team is a team of personnel with a wide range of accident investigation skills, wherein team duty is rotated. Immediately after one team has been dispatched, a new list is posted.
Chapter 3, p. 69, 70-71 (respectively)
What is the purpose of a public hearing? ✔✔1) Public hearings are intended primarily to expand the public record and demonstrate to the public that a complete, open, and objective investigation is being conducted.
Chapter 3, p. 74
How did passage of the Independent Safety Board Act of 1974 affect the NTSB? ✔✔The
passage of the Independent Safety Board Act of 1974 placed the NTSB completely independent and outside the DOT because no Federal agency could ever properly perform investigation functions unless it's totally separate and independent from any other agency within the United States.
Chapter 2, p. 64
Describe the types of accidents investigated by the NTSB. ✔✔The NTSB investigates accidents
such as those involving 49 CFR Parts 212 and 135 air carriers, those involving public aircraft, those involving ATC, training, midair collisions, newly certified aircraft/engines, and general aviation accidents.
Chapter 3, p. 65. More detailed list found there
Describe the organizational structure of the NTSB. ✔✔he NTSB is organized mainly into levels,
the Top Level, the Second Level, and the Third Level. Figure 3-1 on pg. 67 shows these levels clearly.
What is the so-called party system that enables the NTSB to leverage its limited resources?
✔✔The party system allows the NTSB to bring into an investigation the technical expertise of
the companies, entities, and individuals who were involved in the accident or those who might be able to provide specialized knowledge to assist in determining the probable cause. With the exception of the FAA, party status is a privilege, not a right
Chapter 3, p. 70
probable cause of an accident determined. This is because when human lives are involved, timeliness is essential
Chapter 3, p. 75
Are public hearings ever reopened? ✔✔On rare occasions they may be when significant new
additional information becomes available or follow-up investigation reveals additional issues that call for an airing in a public forum such as a hearing
Chapter 3, p. 74
What information is included in the final accident report? ✔✔The final report consists of the
analysis of the factual findings found during the investigation process. This report includes safety recommendations and the probable cause of the accident or incident.
Chapter 3, p. 74
Distinguish between a field investigation and a limited investigation of a general-aviation accident. ✔✔Most general aviation accident investigations are conducted by one of the NTSB's
regional or field offices. In a field investigation, at least one investigator goes to the crash site. In a limited investigation, all communication is carried out by correspondence or telephone.
Chapter 3, p. 76
What is the role of the NTSB under the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1996? What
is the Transportation Disaster Assistance Office? ✔✔The ...Family Assistance Act of 1996 designated the NTSB as the lead federal agency for the coordination of federal government assets at the scene of a major aviation accident, and as the liaison between the airline and the families. The allocation of these resources is handled through the NTSB's Disaster Assistance Office who is also in charge of such things as family counseling, victim identification, and forensic services.
Chapter 3, p. 76
Describe the responsibilities of the FAA during a major accident investigation. ✔✔The FAA
works very closely with the NTSB, and their accident investigation responsibilities include ensuring that all facts and circumstances leading to the accident are recorded and evaluated, all actions are taken to prevent similar accidents in the future, and determining whether performance of FAA facilities or functions was a factor.
