Aviation Inspector Survey

1
Aviation Inspector Survey
Presented to Canadian Federal Pilots Association
February 2007
2
Table of Contents

• Introduction Methodology 2
• Key Findings Recommendations 3
• Detailed Findings 5

3
Introduction Methodology

• Introduction
• POLLARA is pleased to present the Canadian
  Federal Pilots Association (CFPA) with the
  following report of findings from a web survey
  conducted between January 26th and February 2nd,
  2007.
• The key objectives of the research were to
  determine
• Attitudes towards Transport Canadas planned
  Safety Management Systems (SMS)
• The perceived impact of SMS on Canadas aviation
  system
• Confidence in Canadas aviation system.

• Methodology
• Quantitative research was used to explore
  aviation inspectors opinions towards Transport
  Canadas planned Safety Management Systems (SMS),
  and the aviation system in general. A web survey
  was used to meet these objectives.
• The sample for this survey was drawn by CFPA, and
  included only aviation inspectors with Transport
  Canada.
• CFPA distributed an email invitation to 377
  aviation inspectors who work for Transport
  Canada, asking them to complete an online survey.
• In total, 247 aviation inspectors completed the
  survey, resulting in a exceptionally high
  response rate of 65.5.
• Frequencies have been reported for each question
  from the web survey.
• Furthermore, where significant, differences
  between segments of aviation inspectors have been
  reported.

4
Key Findings and Recommendations
5
Key Findings Recommendations

• Transport Canadas Safety Management Systems
  (SMS) Met with Skepticism
• Aviation inspectors who responded to the online
  survey are generally skeptical of Transport
  Canadas SMS and most predict it will have a
  negative impact on Canadas aviation system,
  increasing the likelihood of an aviation
  accident.
• Although almost all aviation inspectors think
  that, in theory, safety management systems (SMS)
  could improve aviation safety in Canada (92),
  two-in-three (67) think Transport Canadas
  planned SMS will result in a higher level of risk
  in Canadas aviation system.
• Furthermore, the vast majority (80) of
  inspectors believe the new role of inspectors
  under the planned SMS will prevent them from
  addressing and correcting certificate holder
  safety problems in a timely fashion before they
  occur.

• Aviation Accident or Incident Likely
• Findings from the online survey suggest that
  aviation inspectors are worried about the
  likelihood of an aviation accident occurring,
  with three-in-four saying they think an aviation
  accident or incident is likely in Canada in the
  near future, and 61 thinking Transport Canadas
  planned SMS will actually increase the chance of
  a major aviation accident or incident.

6
Detailed Findings
7
Language of Preference

• Almost nine-in-ten (89) respondents preferred to
  complete the survey in English, compared to 11
  who preferred to complete thesurvey in French.

Q. Please select your language of preference.
8
Years Worked in Aviation

• The average number of years that respondents have
  worked in aviation is 28.38 years, and only 6 of
  respondents have worked in aviation for 15 years
  or less.

Mean Score 28.38 Median Score 30.00
Q1. How many years have you worked in aviation?
(PLEASE ENTER THE NUMBER OF YEARS)
9
Years Worked as Aviation Inspector with Transport
Canada

• The average number of years that respondents have
  worked with Transport Canada as aviation
  inspectors is 11.39 years.

Mean Score 11.39 Median Score 9.00
Q2. How many years have you been an aviation
inspector with Transport Canada? (PLEASE ENTER
THE NUMBER OF YEARS)
10
Whether Safety Management Systems (SMS) Could
Improve Aviation Safety in Canada

• Almost all respondents (92) believe SMS could
  improve aviation safety in Canada.

Q3. In theory, do you believe a safety management
systems (SMS) could improve aviation safety in
Canada?
11
Perceived Risk Associated with Transport Canadas
Planned SMS

• Two-thirds (67) of aviation inspectors think the
  planned SMS will result in a higher level of risk
  in Canadas aviation system.
• One-in-ten (9) think SMS will result in a lower
  level of risk while 16 do not think there will
  be a difference in risk levels.

Q4. In your opinion, will Transport Canadas
planned SMS result in
12
Perceived Risk Associated with Transport Canadas
Planned SMS, by Years with Transport Canada

• The longer inspectors have been with Transport
  Canada, the more likely they are to think the
  planned SMS will result in a higher level of risk
  in Canadas aviation system, increasing from 60
  among those who have been with Transport Canada
  for 5 years or less to 82 among those who have
  been with the organization for 21 years or more.
  

Lower Level of Risk in Canadas Aviation System Higher Level of Risk in Canadas Aviation System No Difference in Risk Levels
Total 9 67 16
5 years or less 9 60 22
6 to 10 years 11 62 11
11 to 20 years 5 72 19
21 years or more 7 82 11
13
Higher Risk Associated with Transport Canadas
Planned SMS
67 Say Planned SMS will Result in Higher Level
RiskIn Canadas Aviation System
Industry Emphasis On Costs Regulatory
Resources Number Of Inspectors Level Of
Integrity InThe Industry Level Of
Skill/Knowledge Among Certificate Holder
Managers Level Of MaturityIn The Industry
Level Of Skill/Knowledge Among Certificate
Holder Employees Other Dont Know

• Of the two-thirds (67) of respondents who think
  SMS will result in a higher level of risk in
  Canadas aviation system, 62 cited industry
  emphasis on costs as the reason for the higher
  risk.
• Two-in-five of these respondents identified
  regulatory resources and the number of inspectors
  (44) and the level of integrity in the industry
  (38) as reasons why they think the planned SMS
  will result in a higher level of risk.

Q4. In your opinion, will Transport Canadas
planned SMS result in
Q5. Why do you say that? (PLEASE SELECT TOP 2
REASONS ONLY)
14
Lower Risk Associated with Transport Canadas
Planned SMS
9 Say Planned SMS will Result in Lower Level
RiskIn Canadas Aviation System
Level Of Maturity In The Industry
Regulatory Resources Number Of Inspectors
Level Of Skill And Knowledge Among Certificate
Holder Managers Level Of Skill And Knowledge
Among Certificate Holder Employees Industry
Emphasis On Costs Level Of Integrity In The
Industry Other

• Of the 9 of respondents who think SMS will
  result in a lower level of risk in Canadas
  aviation system, over half (52) believe this to
  be the case because of the maturity of the
  industry, while 38 identified the regulatory
  resources and the number of inspectors as the
  reason for SMS resulting in a lower level of
  risk.

Q4. In your opinion, will Transport Canadas
planned SMS result in
Q5. Why do you say that? (PLEASE SELECT TOP 2
REASONS ONLY)
15
Impact of SMS on Addressing Certificate Holder
Safety Problems

• Four-fifths (80) of respondents think SMS will
  prevent them from addressing and correcting
  safety problems in a timely fashion, compared to
  20 who think SMS will allow them to better
  address and correct the safety problems they
  encounter.

Q6. Given the new role of an inspector under
Transport Canadas planned SMS to be more an
overseer of certificate holder SMS systems, which
of the following statements is closest to your
own view as an inspector?
16
Impact of SMS on Addressing Certificate Holder
Safety Problems, by Years in Aviation

• The longer respondents have worked in aviation,
  the more likely they are to believe that the new
  role of inspector under Transport Canadas
  planned SMS will prevent them from addressing and
  correcting certificate holder safety problems in
  a timely fashion (Moving from 64 of respondents
  who have worked in aviation for 15 years or less
  to 88 of those with 36 years or more
  experience).

Prevent Me From Correcting Safety Problems Better Able to Correct Safety Problems
Total 80 20
15 years or less 64 36
16 to 25 years 73 27
26 to 35 years 84 16
36 years or more 88 12
17
Impact of Knowledge of SMS on Level of Confidence
in Aviation System Safety

• More than three-in-four (77) respondents think
  that if the travelling public had their knowledge
  of Transport Canadas planned SMS, their level of
  confidence in the safety of Canadas aviation
  system would decrease.
• Only 4 think their confidence would increase,
  and 10 think confidence would remain unchanged.

Q7. If the travelling public had your knowledge
of Transport Canadas planned SMS, do you think
their level of confidence in the safety of
Canadas aviation system would
18
Impact of Knowledge of SMS on Level of Confidence
in Aviation System Safety,by Years with
Transport Canada

• Respondents with a longer working relationship
  with Transport Canada are more likely to think
  that if the public had their knowledge of SMS,
  their level of confidence in the safety of
  Canadas aviation system would decrease (From 66
  of those who have worked with Transport Canada
  for 5 years or less to 93 of those who have
  worked with Transport Canada for 21 years or
  more).
• In contrast, those with the least amount of
  experience with Transport Canada think the
  publics confidence would remain unchanged (20,
  versus 4 of those who have worked with Transport
  Canada for 21 years or more.)

Increase Decrease Remain Unchanged
Total 4 77 10
5 years or less 5 66 20
6 to 10 years 5 72 6
11 to 20 years 4 84 7
21 years or more - 93 4
19
Feelings About Air Operators Airports
Regulating Themselves

• More than eight-in-ten (85) respondents are
  worried about air operators and airports
  regulating themselves, with four-in-ten (43)
  saying they are very worried.
• Only one-in-ten (13) are confident about air
  operators and airports regulating themselves.

Total Worried 85
Total Confident 13
Q8. How (ROTATE confident or worried) are you
personally about air operators, airports, etc.
regulating themselves through SMS when it comes
to safety?
20
Perceived Motivation for Transport Canada to
Introduce SMS
To Respond To Dwindling Resources At Transport
Canada To Transfer Legal Liability For Aviation
Accidents From Transport Canada To Industry To
Achieve Higher Levels Of Safety Within Canadian
Aviation Operations To Improve The
CanadianAviation Safety Record Other
Dont Know

• Three-fifths (80) of respondents think Transport
  Canadas motivation to introduce SMS is to
  respond to dwindling resources, while one-half
  (54) think it is to transfer legal liability for
  aviation accidents from Transport Canada to the
  industry.
• Less than one-in-five (19) think Transport
  Canada is motivated to introduce SMS to achieve
  higher levels of safety within Canadian aviation
  operations.

Q9. In your view, what is Transport Canadas
motivation to introduce SMS? (PLEASE CHECK AS
MANY AS APPLICABLE)
21
Likelihood of a Major Aviation Accident or
Incident in Canada

• Three-in-four (74) aviation inspectors think a
  major aviation accident or incident is likely in
  Canada in the near future, and 33 think an
  accident or incident is very likely.

Total Likely74
Total Unlikely18
Q10. Given your knowledge and experience with the
state of Canadian aviation system safety, in your
opinion how likely is a major aviation accident
or incident in Canada in the near future?
22
Result of SMS on Accidents or Incidents

• Three-in-five (61) respondents think Transport
  Canadas planned SMS will increase the chance of
  a major aviation accident or incident.
• Only 6 think SMS will reduce the chance of an
  accident or incident.

Q11. In your opinion, will Transport Canadas
planned SMS
23
Result of SMS on Accidents or Incidents,by Years
with Transport Canada

• The longer respondents have worked with Transport
  Canada, the more likely they are to believe that
  Transport Canadas planned SMS will increase the
  chance of a major aviation accident or incident
  (From 49 of those with 5 years or less
  experience with Transport Canada to 75 of those
  with 21 years or more experience working with
  Transport Canada).
• Inspectors with 5 years or less working
  experience with Transport Canada are most likely
  to think SMS will neither increase nor reduce the
  chance of a major accident or incident (32).

Reduce the Chance of a Major Aviation Accident/Incident Increase the Chance of a Major Aviation Accident/Incident Make No Difference
Total 6 61 24
5 years or less 8 49 32
6 to 10 years 9 57 22
11 to 20 years 4 71 20
21 years or more 4 75 21
24
Roland Merbis, Associate Vice President 101
Yorkville Avenue, Suite 301 Toronto, Canada M5R
1C1 Tel [phone] / Fax [phone] www.poll
ara.com