Military Personnel to Enhance Accident Awareness - Provided Confidentiality is Preserved
Flying High Without Falls: The Air Force's Secret Weapon Against Mishaps
The US Air Force is stepping up its game in maintaining aircraft safety, all while keeping a lid on crucial details under a new confidential initiative. This secret plan, dubbed privileged safety information (PSI) training, aims to equip Air Force maintainers—active, reserve, and Air National Guard—with a comprehensive understanding of mishap events, from causes to preventive measures. But there's a catch—they've got to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) to ensure the info stays secure.
"Secrecy is the foundation of our mishap prevention program's success, allowing our airmen and guardians to provide a comprehensive analysis of mishap events without fear of reprisal or public release," Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek states in an email to Air & Space Forces Magazine.
Mishap prevention is vital for maintaining mission readiness and safeguarding national security. The confidentiality offered by the PSI training and briefings helps quickly disseminate lessons learned across the service by sharing mishap data discreetly, according to Stefanek.
Now, in response to an increase in aviation maintenance-related mishaps, the Air Force Chief of Safety, Maj. Gen. Sean M. Choquette, is pushing to expand the training to maintainers. Stefanek explains that "Annual safety privilege training will be provided to allow access to mishap data and ensure protection of the data."
But signing the NDA isn't compulsory. Stefanek notes that while those who don't sign can't access any PSI, they won't be able to contribute effectively to the prevention of accidents and injuries.
The carefully guarded PSI includes details like interviews, safety surveys, and technical reports, all specifically collated for accident prevention and investigation. The training is part of a broader effort to adhere to Department of Defense and Air Force regulations and adapt to evolving safety measures based on past experiences.
In a post on the popular unofficial Facebook page Air Force amn/nco/snco, the new training and NDA requirements were first mentioned last month, which the Air Force Times verified in October. The training comes under a growing trend where photos of aircraft mishaps often surface on social media, particularly on the Air Force amn/nco/snco page.
Some argue that the Air Force might be taking this step to keep incidents off social media and prevent public scrutiny. The Air Force amn/nco/snco page's moderator wrote, "Perhaps the Air Force is tired of accidents getting out and Congress, Media and the Public demanding answers."
However, Stefanek didn't comment when asked about whether the new measures target this issue. A crew chief noted that the training could provide a broader perspective on accident causes, especially complex ones like the "Swiss cheese" effect, which typically stem from a series of minor missteps rather than a single major mistake. Better understanding of mishap causes might help the Air Force prevent future accidents, as Stefanek pointed out.
Which brings us to the all-important question: what happened when a contractor strolled into a moving MQ-9 drone propeller during ground tests last year? An Air Force investigation found that the contractor wasn't properly trained in approaching running aircraft and hadn't received consistent instructions regarding no-enter zones. They were also unfamiliar with the handheld device at the time of the accident.
By shedding light on incidents like these, the Air Force aims to prevent future accidents and continue flying high in mission readiness and national security in the most safe and secure way possible.
- The expansion of the Air Force's PSI training, designed to prevent aviation mishaps, includes a provision for maintainers to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) to safeguard classified mishap data, thus ensuring the security of space and air force operations.
- The confidentiality provided by the PSI training allows the Air Force to learn from past mishaps, adapt to emerging technology, and maintain mission readiness, as the lessons learned are quickly disseminated among its personnel without public release, thereby enhancing overall space and aviation security.
- The Air Force Space Force and air force maintainers are working together to ensure the security of aviation, space, and aircraft technology by analyzing mishap events and implementing preventive measures, as disclosed in the Air Force's privileged safety information (PSI) training and briefings.
