of a safety management system (SMS). Sometimes the hard part of assess-
ing flight risks is explaining how much risk you’ll accept in a meaningful way. One resource that can help you convey risk throughout your operation is a flight risk assessment tool (FRAT). If you take the time to customize a
FRAT, it can be a powerful discussion aid. FRATs can set the stage for how we treat matters in the air and can highlight where we need to apply some extra effort to stay within our estab- lished risk tolerance. This form of risk management is known as operational risk management (ORM). Why “oper- ational?” Because we want to start speaking beyond “tabletop talk” and understand effective methods that will lower the scare factor after we’ve pulled pitch and are now face-to-face with a known hazard that can kill us!
Risk Management, Step by Step Identification: The first step in ORM is developing awareness of the hazards you encounter as an operator. This involves initiatives to identify rele- vant mechanical, environmental, and human hazards as comprehensively as possible. You can do this through brainstorming in safety meetings or trending your hazard reports. If you’re just now exploring an SMS
because of the new FAA regulatory requirements, know that hazard report- ing is a key function of an SMS that ties directly to your risk-management efforts. A starting point may be to cut and paste a known list of hazards, but for ORM to actually work you need that “buy-in” from operators who can
A Bell 412, ASW (antisubmarine warfare)
variant, during sling-load training. Operations such as these benefit from thorough risk assessment and management. (Tom King/RSG AeroDesign Photo)
DEC 2024 POWER UP 65
describe hazards from their perspective. Take weather, for example. If you’re
a small tour operator flying in a VMC/ VFR-only helicopter and you fly in a place that routinely has crummy weather, then inadvertent entry into
instrument meteorological conditions (IIMC) is a hazard you want on your list. Assessment: To be clear, main-
taining hazard awareness serves only to illuminate the path ahead. The next step in operational risk management
Worried about your aircrew’s training and qualifications requirements?
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Scan here to learn more
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