Line Operations Safety Audit (LOSA) for the Management of Safety in Single-Pilot Operations (LOSA:SP) in Australia and New Zealand

Abstract

This paper investigates the feasibility, effectiveness and benefits of implementing a single pilot operations variant of the multi-crew Line Operations Safety Audit (LOSA) methodology, in the management of safety in single pilot operations. LOSA is designed to provide a proactive snapshot of system safety and flight crew performance as a way of preventing incidents and accidents (Klinect, 2006). The data indicators underlying this effort are based on a conceptual framework known as Threat and Error Management (TEM) (Helmreich et al, 2001). A recent spate of incidents and accidents involving single pilot operations both in Australia and New Zealand have given emphasis to the vulnerability of this group to safety issues and confirms statistics that show this category of aviation has a higher incidence of accidents and incidents than in other sectors of the industry (CASA, 2009, NZCAA, 2009). By adapting LOSA to single pilot operations (LOSA:SP) the framework/methodology could provide a proactive method of diagnosing operational safety performance strengths and weaknesses under normal operations leading to the identification of additional training requirements and improved procedures without relying on adverse safety events for such information.