Commercial Aviation Safety - Essay Example

Commercial Aviation Safety Introduction Aviation is considered to be one of mankind's greatest inventions for it has been a dream for men to soar unto the heavens and touch the skies. It has evolved from a mere scientific curiosity into something that brings people and cultures closer together. One of the forms in which aviation is used is in commercial aviation, otherwise known as civil aviation ("Civil Aviation", 2006). The development of commercial aviation happened between World War I and II, specifically in the 1930's when the first airliners known as Douglas DC-3s ferried passengers and cargo over considerable distances. After the two wars, the availability of decommissioned military aircraft as well as the increase in number of decommissioned military pilots paved the way for the modern aviation industry. At the same time, aircraft manufacturers such as Cessna, Piper and Beechcraft made passenger aircraft made for specific roles. These aircraft manufacturers eventually became the world's leaders in passenger aircraft technology ("Commercial Aviation", 2006). The development continued over the next 20 years and by the 1950's, Boeing introduced their first line of passenger aircraft that utilized jet engine technology such as the Boeing 707. The evolution of the commercial aircraft industry continues with airport authorities and airline services going hand in hand in providing safe and efficient air travel around the world ("Commercial Aviation", 2006). But the industry is never without its troubles and complications. There are several factors that make air travel rather risky and dangerous. Among these are technical problems, human error, unpredictable weather conditions, hi-jacking and many more. Out of these issues, terrorism had the most significant impact in the industry, as it was responsible for the death of thousands of innocent lives. The most infamous of these aerial terrorists act was the September 11, 2001 attacks, also known as 9/11 ("September 11 Attacks", 2006). Different commercial aviation safety issues There are a number of issues that surround the airline industry today and many of these problems have proved to be fatal to the lives of both the pilot and his passengers. Among these are unpredictable weather conditions and human error. Weather disturbances such as ice and other forms of precipitation pose great risks for the pilots and passengers. Take for example the case of a certain Georgian Express Flight that happened in January 14, 2004. The flight involved a Cessna 208B that took off from Pelee Island Ontario and eventually crashed into Lake Eerie moments later after take-off killing all 9 passengers and the pilot. The crash was believed to be due to pilot fatigue and poor visibility due to icy weather conditions (Aarons, 2006). Other cases of human error are linked to faulty and obsolete flight equipment, such as manual controls that are totally dependent upon the pilot's skills. Obsolete equipment combined with mediocre skills can greatly increase the occurrence of a mishaps happening in the industry (Evans, 2004). Proof of this comes from the Aviation Safety Network which reported that there were about a dozen or so airline mishaps in June 2006 alone, among these involved n A-320 Airbus incident in Sochi, Russia and a DC-10 incident in Managua, Nicaragua (Aviation Safety Network, 2005). Aircraft structural fatigue is also blamed as the number one killer in the skies, this happens especially in a lot of older aircraft that are still used by some airliners up to this date (Aubury, 2006). Also, financial problems may plague an institution if it is not ready to support airline operations. Such was the problem of South African Airways when their profit plunged into an all-time low of almost 90% because of rising fuel prices, lower cost of competition as well as their failure to generate enough profit. South African Airways has also run through debts in the course of its operations thus forcing it to cut back on costs while maintaining its level of service so that it may recover from this crisis (Straus, 2006). Most Important Commercial Aviation Safety Issue of Today The previous aircraft safety issues pale in comparison with the threat of terrorism in the skies. Terrorists have done many acts of hi-jacking in the past but none is more heinous than the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. For the record, the 9/11 attacks involved about 4 separate passenger aircraft, two of which were crashed into each of the World Trade Center towers. One of the four aircraft was crashed into the Pentagon while the last one was crashed unto a town in Somerset, Pennsylvania. Estimates show that about 3,000 persons were killed in the incident leaving thousands more injured. The attacks were confirmed to have been masterminded by the Al-Qaeda terrorist movement in retaliation for certain acts against them done by the American government ("September 11, 2001 Attacks", 2006). This caused the United States to launch an offensive against Iraq and other Middle Eastern countries that are believed to be supporters of the Al-Qaeda. The 9/11 incident was the single most heinous terrorist act at the turn of the century. Specifically, the four airline flights were designated as follows: American Airlines Flight 11 was crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center while United Airlines Flight 175 was crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Meanwhile in Pennsylvania, American Airlines Flight 77 was crashed unto the Pentagon almost half an hour after the World Trade Center Towers were attacked. Finally, United Airlines Flight 93 was crashed into a town called Somerset also in Pennsylvania ("September 11, 2001 Attacks", 2006). None of the passengers from all of the flights survived the crash, though there were survivors from the World Trade Center crash. These attacks were done with blind fanatical zeal, as the terrorist who participated in the mission acted as suicide bombers but instead of just taking their own lives; they also claimed the lives of thousands of innocent people ("September 11 Attacks", 2006). The event happened so fast and it indeed shocked the whole world and the United States, but responses from concerned sectors were as rapid as the incident itself. After the incident, hundreds of policemen and fire fighters along with several volunteer civilians worked day and night to clear the rubble. International aid poured over from allied nations that were shocked too at the way the Al-Qaeda claimed the lives of thousand of men, women and children in that bloody day ("September 11 Attacks", 2006). These terror attacks lead to many different psychological, financial, spiritual and emotional effects to the public. Most were awed and shocked upon seeing the World Trade Center towers collide with the 2 hi-jacked aircraft full of live people. Others were disgusted on how the terrorist employed this kind of tactic. For the airline industry however, this event caused tremendous financial losses for them because people became paranoid about flying, thinking that the flight that they could be in could be hi-jacked. But there are positive effects that were evident after the incident. Scores of volunteers and professionals alike worked hand in hand in recovering people who were buried under the rubble. Donations from the private and public sources were collected and given to those who were severely affected by the tragedy ("September 11 Attacks", 2006). Ahlers (2004) reports that the lack of security measures is the main reason why the Al- Qaeda has been quite successful in their act. Ahlers suggested that the hi-jackers were able to conceal pocket utility knives in their clothing or personal belongings thus enabling them to assault the aircrafts at will. These just shows that the level of security inside American airports was rather relaxed therefore leave the plane vulnerable to such attacks. The United States government at a steep price realized this, the lives of the victims of terrorist attacks. As such, there should be steps that should be taken in order to prevent the occurrence of another 9/11 tragedy. These measures must comply with international standards and every nation should adapt these new security standards so that terrorist plots will be prevented from materializing ("September 11 Attacks", 2006). Measures that the Government and Private Sector Has Done in the Fight Against Terrorism The terrorists were able to infiltrate U.S. airports because the personnel neglected the proper identification and screening of the passengers. Learning from this, the United Kingdom has increased its passenger surveillance with the use of cutting-edge identification technologies such as CEM AC2000 that works in conjunction with a very comprehensive passenger database as well as smart cards that record a passenger's personal records ("British Airways upgrades CEM AC2000 access control system, software and smart cards".2006). This technology enables the British government to do away with the other obsolete measures that are currently in use. The U.S. Government on the other hand has presented a rather extreme approach; it launched the "Global War Against Terrorism", a global military operation in which it invokes the aid of its allied countries to wage war against Al-Qaeda and its numerous supporters around the globe. Currently, the Global War on Terrorism involves countries in South Asia (such as Afghanistan and Pakistan, Middle East (such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) Former Soviet republics (such as Uzbekistan), Southeast Asia (among them the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia), Africa and some countries in Eastern Europe ("War on Terrorism", 2006). This global military operation seems to be successful at present, as many between the Al-Qaeda and its offshoots have succumbed upon the sheer might of the U.S. military forces and its allies. If this continues then the United States and the rest of the world may yet stand a chance against terrorism and its ugly grip upon the world ("September 11 Attacks", 2006). Suggested Safety Standards against Terrorist Threats to Commercial Aviation One of the main factors that the American airport authorities have neglected is the proper identification of the perpetrators responsible for 9/11. Proper passenger identification coupled with tight airport security is the key to root out potential terrorists. Constant surveillance of suspicious passengers and aircraft is pointed out as one of the keys in preventing another terrorist attack similar to 9/11. Recently, the Transportation and Security Administration sent a message across the U.S., which explains how to identify U.S. aircraft as well as informing private jet owners to repot any theft or unauthorized use of their aircraft. This is because stolen Leer jets and Gulf Stream aircrafts can be potentially used for terrorist acts. It also warns not only private jet owners but also the public to report any sort of aircraft theft immediately and keep an eye out on suspicious people lurking around their aircraft (Leek, 2006). This may sound to be a very peculiar idea, since the message involves private aircraft but this new rule also applies for larger commercial aircraft, which, as proven by terrorists, are very vulnerable to their methods of attack. But even the simplest notion such as this provides people with the much needed security and assurance they need in order to ensure a terror-free existence (Leek, 2006). Also, the United States should try to follow UK's example by upgrading their airport security systems by applying modern identification technologies that are available today. The identification of potential perpetrators is the key in rooting out terrorists. The identification of terrorists while they are still on the ground will give the government some sort of initiative and a huge tactical advantage against the terrorists because once terror cells get aboard an aircraft, it will be hard not just for the crew to handle the situation, but in can also lead to another major tragedy reminiscent of 9/11. Therefore, it is important that passengers are screened before they are let inside an aircraft to determine their identities and their motives as well ("Privacy International", 2005). This whole agenda about the use of identification systems might not be well-received at first, as some may view it as an intrusion in their privacy but if one thinks about it, it is actually very necessary for the prevention of terrorist activity. In a way the government does intervene with our lives in a rather extreme fashion but these measures are truly necessary in the long run. The in-flight crew should also be trained in counter-terrorist doctrines, as they are the ones who are mainly responsible for the safety and comfort of the crew. As of the current global situation, it is still not possible to assign air marshals in very flight, so the crew must be indoctrinated on how to deal with specific situations most especially when we are dealing with terrorist actions("Privacy International", 2005). The passengers too must have some kind of awareness on how to respond to such situations. Combined with the proper education coming from the government about what to do in a hi-jack situation, passengers can the take their own initiatives when faced with such danger. Most of the time, airport customs personnel neglect their duties and responsibilities. Stricter customs and inspection laws should also be implemented to hinder the illegal entry of weapons and dangerous substances in airports ("Privacy International", 2005). Modern Technology's Role in the Fight against Threats to Commercial Aviation Modern technology has contributed a lot in the fight against terrorism, particularly those involving aircraft. The so-called "black box" developed by the Australian Department of Defense has been an indispensable tool in the identification of the root cause of every aerial mishaps that has happened in the past 20 years. Whether a crash is due to a weather disturbance, human error or terrorist attack, the recordings inside a black box reveals what really happened at the time of the incident providing the necessary data for analysis and prevention of future crashes ("Black Box Flight Recorder", 2005). As mentioned earlier the identification and detection of terror cells is one of the keys in foiling terrorism. Radio Frequency Identification Tags can also be used in the future to "tag" terrorist suspects in the future, allowing the authorities to positively identify and apprehend terrorist that are about to unleash their foul schemes unto the world. An RFID tag can be embedded unto a potential terrorist's article of clothing or any other personal belonging (assuming that the terrorist has been apprehended beforehand) without his or her knowledge. The RFID tag then emits a series of radio waves attuned to a certain frequency that can be read by a RFID receiver. Thus, when a suspicious person is apprehended and is accused of terrorism, all the law enforcers have to do is to identify him or her through the RFID tag he wears to confirm his identity ("What is RFID ", n.d.). Another type of technology currently in use is the CAPPS II (Computer Assisted Passenger Pre-screening System) system in which a machine validates the identity of a potential passenger through validation from a huge database. There are three levels of passenger identification in this system. "Green" passengers can readily board an airliner without any hassles because these passenger types have negative terrorist intentions. "Yellow" passengers are treated rather cautiously as they can have terrorist tendencies. "Red" passengers are immediately apprehended because this just proves that they are identified as terrorists that are not fit to board an airliner ("Lane County Bill of Rights Defence Committee", n.d.). With these new technologies, the fight for terrorism could shift in favour of world governments that are currently embroiled in the fight against terrorism. Conclusion The United States and the rest of the global community were indeed shaken by the Al-Qaeda's latest act of terror, one that involved the airline industry as a very integral piece to the puzzle. The lives of many pilots, passengers and civilians lost during the recent terrorist attacks centered on commercial airlines are proof that compromising safety for efficiency is not a good option. Terrorist are a rather opportunistic group of people and they know that as airports and airline operators lower their guards on their activities, there will come a time for them to act and strike fear and terror into the hearts of men. The effect of these attacks was extremely traumatic for the general populace, as some cannot believe that someone can really indeed do such a heinous act. The fact still remains that someone has the guts and the stomach to do such an infamous act and that many innocent lives were taken in the process. The only thing for the rest of humanity to do now is to prepare for the next terror plot to unfold and counter it with well-placed counter-measures designed to foil terrorist activity. Therefore, the commercial airline industry as well as the government should strengthen their partnerships more for them to succeed in the war against terrorism ("War on Terrorism", 2006) With regards to the other problems relating to the commercial aviation industry, financial problems ranks as one of the hardest to solve, but any problem of this sort can be solved given time and proper management (Straus, 2006). Subjecting potential pilots to better training methods as well as employing various piloting aids during flight can lessen human error. Weather conditions are highly unpredictable, and care should be taken when dealing with weather as no amount of training or experience can stand through adverse environmental conditions (Aarons, 2006). Structural damage on the other hand can also be a thing of the past once the research for better materials and components that will increase hull strength and integrity are on the way (Aubury, 2006). Overall, these problems may be seen as mediocre as compared with the threat of terrorism itself but it should always be remembered that these problems are still problems that needs to be dealt with. It must always be remembered that a single error can be fatal in any commercial aircraft operation (Aviation Safety Network, 2006). Reference List Aarons, Richard N. 20 June 2006. Cause and Circumstance: Over Gross, Over Tired and Iced Over. Aviation week. Retrieved July 6, 2006 from http://www.aviationnow.com/avnow/news/channel_bca_story.jspid=news/cc0606.xml Ahlers, Mike M. 27 January 2004. 9/11 panel: Hijackers may have had utility knives. January 27, 2004. CNN. Retrieved July 7,2006 from http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/01/27/911.commis.knife/ Aubury, Martin. 2006. Commentary: Intolerable Damage. Access Intelligence. Retrieved July 6, 2006 from http://www.aviationtoday.com/cgi/catalog/sampleasw#A1 Aviation Safety Network. 11 November, 2005. Aviation Safety Network. 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