The Flight Safety Inspectorate participated in the prestigious forum organised by the Royal Air Force Safety Centre to discuss the most significant flight safety issues.
On 2 and 3 October, in London (UK), the Defence Aviation Safety 2023, a conference sponsored by the Royal Air Force (RAF) Safety Centre Britannica, specifically focused on the theme of Safety in military aviation.
The event, in its fourth edition, was presided over by the’Air Commodore Sam Sansome, RAF Safety Inspector and has seen the presence of numerous nations with over 30 speakers.
The’Flight Safety Inspector, Gen. B.A. Roberto Di Marco, and Col. Gianluigi Colucci, Head of the Investigation Office, During the first day of work, they reported on the theme of the transformation of flight safety, including in the maintenance sector, which has occurred in recent years.
Starting from the initiatives on the subject recently undertaken by the Air Force, with particular reference to the Flight Safety Management System, the complexity was discussed and the challenges of a flight safety culture that is fully integrated into the operational processes of the entire organisation were illustrated. It was also highlighted that in this sector, dangers materialise seamlessly depending on the contingency, creating new risks that did not previously exist. In this regard, the example of aircraft was given 5th generation, as’F-35, which on the one hand offer capabilities previously unthinkable and an inherent reliability of the machine, on the other hand they bring risks inherent in the high presence of technology. Another illustrious example of complexity was the establishment of the’International Flight Training School, in Decimomannu, where the Italian Air Force and Leonardo SpA work jointly to provide advanced and absolutely innovative training for pilots.
The conference also touched upon other themes such as the evolution of flight safety, the need for European standardisation and NATO in this sector, the acquisition of air superiority in safety during a conflict, the execution of high-intensity air operations, and the dilemma in the use of future capabilities that could be intrinsically complex to manage.
Flight safety has always been a priority for Allied Nations and European countries, representing an indispensable requirement for any armed force aiming to maximise its operational efficiency. In this context, the mission of the Flight Safety Inspectorate is to study potential flight safety criticalities, as well as to issue directives concerning the prevention and mitigation of associated risks, including the investigation – for prevention purposes – of accidents involving military aircraft.
