Kyla Evans
Manager, Corporate Communications and Media Relations, EUROCONTROL
+32.2.729.50.95 Mobile: +32.498.940.290
Kyla.evans@eurocontrol.int
Lesley Shepherd
Manager, Corporate Communications, ERA
+44 (0) 1276.485578 Mobile: +44 (0)7713.984793
Lesley.shepherd@eraa.org
Nicosia, Cyprus, March 16, 2009 — The 21st annual European Aviation Safety Seminar kicked off today in Nicosia, Cyprus before an audience of 200. Hosted by the Flight Safety Foundation (FSF), the European Regions Airline Association (ERA), and EUROCONTROL, the seminar will work to ensure that attention continues to be focused on aviation safety during a global economic downturn.
The seminar will have panels to update on current and operational issues as well as a strong focus on the culture of aviation safety and handling risk.
We cannot ignore the fact that there have been a number of high profile crashes recently in Europe and North America. While we can rightly applaud the survivability of most of these incidents, we must ask ourselves why this is happening,” noted William R. Voss, President and CEO of FSF. “Open communication is the key to any safety culture — and that includes getting hundreds of safety professionals together to share the latest information at EASS.”
“At a time when everyone is under economic pressure, combining scarce resources and sharing best practices is a must to ensuring we can continue to improve safety standards,” said Erik Merckx, Deputy Director Central Management Functions at EUROCONTROL. “By sharing information in an open way, we also contribute to helping to build a safety culture and an open reporting culture in aviation, one of the key building blocks for improved safety around the world.”
“One of the most effective ways to prevent accidents is by learning from errors that have already occurred, and that means encouraging open reporting in a ‘just culture’ environment free from fear of blame, job loss or a jail sentence,” said Mike Ambrose, Director General, ERA. “In the current economic climate where fear of redundancy is very real, an open-reporting culture is more important than ever.”
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Flight Safety Foundation is an independent, non-profit, international organization engaged in research, auditing, education, advocacy and publishing to improve aviation safety. The Foundation’s mission is to pursue the continuous improvement of global aviation safety and the prevention of accidents. www.flightsafety.org.
EUROCONTROL, the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, has as its primary objective to develop a seamless, pan-European air traffic management (ATM) system that fully copes with the growth in air traffic, while maintaining a high level of safety, reducing costs and respecting the environment.
Founded in 1980, ERA is the recognised representative body for intra-European air transport. It currently represents 60 airlines and over 100 Associate and Affiliate members, including airframe and engine manufacturers, airports, suppliers and service providers from all over Europe and worldwide.
Contact: Emily McGee, Director of Communications, 1-703-739-6700, ext. 126; mcgee@flightsafety.org