FINDING COMMON GROUND IN THE AIR By Marjolein Lloyd
T
he driving factor in aviation safety is the Transport Canada Civil
Aviation performance-oriented and regulatory-required Safety Management System (SMS) approach. One facet of the SMS process focuses on proactively identifying hazards and applying risk mitigation techniques to ensure aviation related activities are conducted in the safest manner possible.
When the Kelowna Ogopogo Radio Controllers (KORC) were forced to look for a new air field, after over fifteen years in the Black Mountain area, there were several factors that had to be considered, to ensure that their model airplanes would not interfere with the full sized ones flying overhead. Dr. John Falconer, a member of the KORC, says that once a new field was found on Reiswig Road just north of Wood Lake, it was evident that there needed to be some conversations between the flying group and YLW. “Because the field is only 5.2 nautical miles north of YLW’s runway 16, we engaged in a dialogue with the airport to make sure that we could reach a mutual understanding as to the safe operation of our hobby.”
Neil Drachenberg, Manager of Safety, Security and Emergency Preparedness at YLW, expanded on those conversations. “Due to the proposed club location being directly beneath the dominant YLW flight
path the airport initiated the SMS Safety Case process. Through the safety case we assessed how the activities of KORC could potentially impact general aviation safety, and defined the risks up front. The identified concerns were mitigated by introducing procedures that ensure the safest level of activity.”
Although the airport has no regulatory authority over the KORC, the flying club does abide by regulations set out by their governing body, the Model Aeronautics Association of Canada (MAAC). Such regulations are put in place to ensure the safety of the model pilots, the spectators, and of course the full size aircraft flying overhead. KORC’s application of these self-governing regulations along with the procedures agreed to in the SMS Safety Case ensures the safety of both the club and the flying public.
Clearly both YLW and the KORC have taken the “good neighbour” approach with each other. Maintaining open lines of communication between the two groups is key in establishing a strong relationship. “There are a lot of parallels and common interests between the airport and the flying club.“ Drachenberg continues, “We want to encourage, build and grow so there’s awareness on both sides. We’re not living in isolation, and neither is KORC. We share information so that we can both practice our craft as safely as possible, with no impact on the travelling public.”
Follow these links to learn more about the Kelowna Ogopogo Radio Controllers (KORC) club and their national association.
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