Training, certification, data capture, incident reporting, these fundamental aviation operations have one key purpose – to keep passengers and workers safe. Incident reporting is vital in any industry and, since 1976, has been mandatory in UK aviation. If minor airside incidents are reported then the risk of major incidents is lowered. And, in an industry where safety and security are paramount, the importance of this cannot be overstated.

Why is incident data capture so important in aviation?

Incident data forms the basis of investigations. The purpose of which is to prevent future incidents and accidents. With adequate evidence and timely detailed reporting, investigations into airside incidents and accidents can help aviation authorities and staff to better understand what led to the occurrence. It can also help to identify hazards and assist with future risk assessments. Following on from an investigation, the relevant authorities can make recommendations for system changes to reduce or eliminate risk and spread safety messages to aviation staff and stakeholders.

And, at a purely mercenary level, the money spent on capturing data and investigating incidents is small change compared to the cost of a major accident.

What is an airside incident and how is it reported?

An incident in aviation is an occurrence associated with the aircraft that could affect the safety of operations. The list for which occurrences are deemed incidents are described in detail on the CAA website and include events such as bird strike, prolonged loss of communication with air traffic control, damage caused by foreign objects and more.

In the UK aircrafts accidents and incidents should be reported to the Air Accidents investigation Branch (AAIB) who fall under the department of Transport. It’s a legal requirement for any person involved to take necessary steps to preserve evidence in relation to an airside incident – think documents, materials and recordings.

What are the problems with incident data reporting?

Data reporting is critical and every member of staff is encouraged to record and report their version of events for the most thorough investigation possible. But as you’d imagine in an industry that employs almost 350,000 people in the UK alone, this can mean a lot of data. 

To add to the enormity of the task, this data is often stored across numerous platforms and requires multiple data transfers before analytics can begin. All in all, this process is hugely labour intensive at a time when aviation staff have never been in higher demand.

How to successfully gather airside incident data with AIRDAT

With our AIRDAT Passport Safety System, airports can easily and immediately locate the relevant data needed to create a detailed report – from penalty and vehicle defect reporting to driver information and permits. In addition to this, AIRDAT offers integrations with EHS systems such as SAI360 and Noggin ensuring that when defects or penalties are added to AIRDAT profiles, the systems are automatically updated – consolidating all the information and saving time on data entry duplication. Reporting managers can see at a glance that training, permits and insurance are in place and will be notified well ahead of time in the event that permits or training are running out. This level of reassurance is invaluable in the event of an airside incident.
What’s more, our VISA airside safety app consolidates all AIRDATs systems and makes them accessible via a user-friendly app. The app records penalties and defects as well as vehicle and driver information and will send automatic notifications to ensure information is immediately available to those who need it.

At AIRDAT, we can work with airport managers and stakeholders to create bespoke solutions for individual airports. As well as incident reporting and permit tracking, we can also help to create training plans for staff to ensure learning takes place after every airside incident.

Want to know more about what we do or how we could help you to successfully and efficiently gather incident data for investigation? Get in touch with a member of the AIRDAT team today.