Tag Archives: quality management

Aviation Document Management

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Aviation Document Management

Whether you are flight crew, an aircraft engineer or ground staff, it’s imperative that the day to day use of circulated documentation must be accurate, up to date and accessible in order to achieve compliance standards set by aviation regulators.

A SMS Information Management solution Document Management provides a central storage for all controlled documents and associated records. Any documentation type, such as user manuals, company processes and procedures and associated supporting material, are fully supported.

Staff can be confident that they are accessing the latest version of any given document through their PC or mobile device at anytime, and in any place.

A SMS Information Management solution prevents the use of incorrect documents and always presents the most current approved revision to users. Documents are securely managed to prevent uncontrolled modifications, drafts or copies. Records pertaining to document change, history, approval and distribution are securely held for each revision of a document and are readily available for review. Document registers are automatically updated with approved changes, helping to eliminate the risk of human error.

The fundamental benefit of the Document Management module is its flexibility and capability. It dramatically reduces the bureaucratic burden of compliance management and provides an infrastructure to make the correct information available where needed. The module allows for efficient and effective change control and effortlessly demonstrates compliance to your management system. Significantly, it facilitates collective ownership of the management system within the organization.

The objectives for Document Management are to:

  • Make the correct information available at the point of need, when required
  • Encourage ownership of the compliance management system across an organization
  • Effectively manage change from an initial request, through drafting, approval, distribution and publishing
  • Contribute to more effective use of management system information
  • Reduce the bureaucracy of managing document control within a compliance management environment
  • Extend the accessibility of controlled documents throughout the organization and beyond via a secure web interface

Audit Management Software for Aviation

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Audit Management Software for Aviation

Auditing throughout the aviation industry is a mandatory task to ensure that certificated organizations are performing to the strict regulations set out by the governing bodies. Audits are performed regularly throughout the aviation industry and contribute to complying with standards as well as identifying shortfalls and areas of improvement.

The Q-Pulse Audit Management module provides the ability to check a proposed audit plan for coverage, completeness and availability before finalizing schedules, automatically creating and updating the audit calendar. Past audit reports and historical data and status of all previous audit and CA/PA findings are available for review. Audit checklists can be created, exported and imported to and from external sources and audit packs can be created as points of reference.

A trail of departments visited, people spoken to, and processes checked etc, simplifies the creation of the audit report. Positive findings and opportunities for improvement are included, individual records created for each finding and the audit report agreed, formalized and tracked to conclusion through Q-Pulse.

Q-Pulse continually monitors the status of each audit action from when it is raised until closure and ensures the compliance management system is properly maintained, managed, and that actions are not overlooked. Q-Pulse can integrate with email systems to offer point-of-need access to audit records direct from automatic email notifications of upcoming or overdue events or actions.

Audit Management provides a closed loop system from scheduling, through planning, conducting and following up of audits in a manner that supports organization-wide improvement.

Offline Audit extends the Q-Pulse compliance management solution, enabling auditors to perform key activities when not connected to Q-Pulse. Auditors can complete checklists and record document findings while on-site at the point of need.

The objectives of Audit Management are to:

  • Provide a central repository for all audit management information that allows the demonstration of compliance with minimum overheads and disruption
  • Manage internal, external and third party audits across a specific or any number of compliance management systems
  • Identify potential improvements in systems, processes, equipment, material and people
  • Report both positive audit results as well as managing actions and findings  through to conclusion
  • Manage the complete audit life cycle from scheduling, planning and conducting to reporting and following up actions through to conclusion.
  • Manage Audits offline, providing the import and export of data to record and perform audits remotely

 

 

Corrective/Preventative Action Management

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Corrective/Preventative Action Management

Q-Pulse manages non-conformance through the CA/PA, (Corrective Action/Preventative Action) module, by automating established workflows and highlighting areas of improvement. Any type of aviation organization can identify, manage, control and correct areas of non-compliance in order to correct and pass any type of regulatory requirements.

Direct access to compliance actions from a central register streamlines the management of processes, reducing the effort spent managing activities and accelerating time to completion for actions. Role-based message management closes the loop on overdue processes by enabling the conditional escalation of actions to other roles where required, and the setup of different workflows based on record content.

Once collected in the CA/PA Management module, information can be viewed in isolation, either in groups of related information or across the complete organization. Robust security allocates access to information as you require it.

Any number of reports can be published and saved in personal or shared folders which significantly reduce the amount of time and effort spent searching for information. In addition, the Analysis module provides extensive graphical grouping and trend reports that greatly assist in spotting related issues and more importantly help identify opportunities for improvement.

The flexibility and capability of the CA/PA Management module ensures Q-Pulse is core in enabling an organization to reap significant benefits from their compliance efforts.

The objectives for CA/PA Management are to:

  • Automate the non-conformance process for the business within a single system
  • Extend the non-conformance process throughout a business with a centralized approach
  • Promote a systematic and holistic approach to non-conformance management
  • Notify and manage those responsible for non-conformances that in turn promote reduction in recurrence
  • Streamline non-conformance management to increase stakeholder satisfaction and improve the bottom line

Aviation Hazard, Occurrence and Incident Reporting and Investigation

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Safety is the biggest focus within aviation, as a failure to comply in a process or procedure can lead to a catastrophic effect. Worldwide governing bodies, including ICAO, IBAC and IATA, encourage and enforce any company associated with aviation to have an effective safety management solution in place. As the US moves through the SMS rulemaking effort, the FAA has provided guidance for operators including Air Carriers, MRO’s, Manufacturers, Flight Schools, Corporate, Charter and General Aviation.

Throughout industry, it is widely acknowledged that encouraging a non-punitive reporting culture, or “just culture”, is an effective way to ensure quality and safety related incidents are reported – in turn, helping to prevent future occurrences.

As with any module in Q-Pulse, Incident Reporting and Investigation can be configured to manage multiple types of reports. Reports can be automated to include areas such as Bird Strikes, TCAS RA, Airprox, Flight Crew Reports, Cabin Crew Reports, Ground Handling Reports, Confidential Reporting and Voluntary Reporting programs (ASAP, MSAP) and any other type of report required in order to manage safety effectively and efficiently.

Through the Q-Pulse Incident Reporting and Investigation module, established workflows can be defined for each individual report with individual/department notifications of actions required, timescales for completion and escalation policies. Q-Pulse seamlessly integrates with an organization’s email software, ensuring that all individuals concerned with an incident have full visibility of the progress of on-going actions.

Current reports within the organization can be set up with a user friendly report designer, providing a complete overview at any time of safety performance. Furthermore, management can analyze the aggregate incident/occurrence data to identify trends, highlight improvement opportunities and mitigate risks throughout the organization.

For airlines, Q-Pulse Incident Reporting and Investigation can integrate with Flight Data Management (FOQA) solutions allowing the safety department direct access to specific FOQA events that are pertinent to their investigations, streamlining processes and delivering corrective/preventative actions in a timely manner.

The objectives for Incident Reporting and Investigation are to:

  • Capture reported data that reflects an organization’s adherence to regulator’s procedures
  • Provide a simple and effective incident reporting design interface
  • Applies automatically on-going action tracking and communication that replicates a company’s existing workflow

Provides an effective, user friendly overview to aid trend analysis, highlight areas of improvement and manage

Aviation SMS and FOQA Integration

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Sextant Readings recognizes that within the aviation industry there are many IT suppliers that provide systems to manage the day to day running of the organization. While Sextant Readings specializes in compliance, safety and quality software, there are also other IT suppliers that have synergies to allow Q-Pulse to effectively manage the data integrated from these systems to manage both quality and safety. Through integration, Sextant Readings’s approach is to create a holistic view of safety and in turn allow the organization to have a full understanding of areas of concern which can be identified for improvement.

FOQA integration is an extension of Q-Pulse that provides a two-way interface between Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) analysis through Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) solutions and the Safety Management System (SMS), which in turn streamlines the incident investigation process. Flight safety data can be centralized and at the same time improve visibility and accessibility throughout an organization.

Q-Pulse FOQA Integration encourages the reporting and subsequent investigation of events where operational parameters have been exceeded. Through the incidents being reported and investigated, corrective or preventative action can be taken to mitigate risks and in turn improve safety levels.

The FOQA data is instantly accessible from the SMS, allowing quick access to events related to an investigation, which in turn saves time and promotes corrective actions to be implemented more quickly.

Q-Pulse FDM Integration allows full analysis of related incidents and in turn can provide a review of associated incidents and enable the identification of trends, leading to improved safety levels and increased efficiency performance.
Ideagen Gael is partnered with three major FOQA solution suppliers:

  • Aerobytes
  • Flight Data Services
  • Sagem

Ideagen Gael is constantly working with other vendors to increase the scope of Q-Pulse FOQA Integration.

The objectives of FOQA Integration are to:

  • Encourage reporting and investigation of events where operational parameters have been exceeded
  • Improve safety levels and mitigate risk
  • Improve efficiency in the process of safety management
  • Identify trends for analysis and identify changes in processes and procedures where necessary

Aviation Safety Data Sharing Integration with Q-Pulse

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ASIAS (Aviation Safety Information Sharing and Analysis System) supported by the FAA and STEADES (Safety Trend Evaluation and Analysis Data Exchange System) provided by IATA and are aviation safety incident data management and analysis programs.

  • ASIAS combines data from a number of sources, including Flight Operations Quality Assurance programs (FOQA), Aviation Safety Action Programs (ASAP), the Aviation Safety Reporting System, the Air Traffic Safety Action Program for air traffic controllers, the national offload program, radar track data and data from ASDE-X.
  • The STEADES database provides the world’s largest database of de-identified airline incident reports, providing a secure environment for airlines to pool safety information for global benchmarking and analysis needs.

Both provide data on key safety performance indicators, helping airlines to benchmark and establish safety performance targets.

Operator data is made available to ASIAS using Application Program Interface (API) capability of Q-Pulse. STEADES integration with Q-Pulse allows customers to provide their data to IATA directly, securely and with confidence to contribute to the powerful analysis tool that IATA provides.

The objectives of STEADES integration is to:

  • Simplify the process for Ideagen Gael’s customers to provide data in a format required by regulators
  • Ensure data is communicated in a secure and confidential manner
  • Provides Ideagen Gael’s customers with the ability to contribute to the appropriate program with minimal effort.

Airlines agree common plan for tackling emissions

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CAPE TOWN | Mon Jun 3, 2013 8:04am EDT

(Reuters) – Global airlines have agreed on a proposal for tackling aircraft emissions in a bid to break international deadlock over an issue that has stoked fears of a carbon trade war.

Airlines representing 85 percent of global traffic urged governments to adopt a single market-based system designed to offset growth in their post-2020 emissions against the funding of projects to cut emissions deemed harmful to the environment.

The decision is designed to offer governments a basis for negotiation after United Nations talks failed to resolve a stand-off between the European Union and a broad flank of other countries over an issue with cross-border implications.

Airlines have been racing to avert a trade war after the European Union suspended an emissions trading scheme for a year to give opponents time to agree on a global system.

So far, little progress has been made in the UN effort to craft an agreement to lower emissions from international air travel, raising doubts that a September target date can be met.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), a group of 240 originally state-owned airlines set up to help the UN harmonize aviation after World War II, backed the plan after balancing the interests of airlines usually noted for cut-throat competition.

State-owned Chinese and Indian airlines voted against the measure, echoing what analysts see as the reluctance of their governments to set a precedent for wider climate control talks.

IATA’s director general told Reuters earlier that failure to agree a common position would expose the airline industry to a “patchwork horror story” of different regulations.

Airlines have been trying to use a slim window of opportunity to smooth over their own divisions and seize the initiative before the UN’s aviation body meets in September.

One of the most sensitive topics is whether the whole industry should pay for its emissions or whether the airlines growing the most should pay the most.

Airlines in the Gulf and Asia are growing at a much faster pace than those in mature European and North American markets. The IATA plan includes safeguards to protect the various camps.

“It is a question of finding the right sweet spot,” American Airlines Chief Executive Thomas Horton told Reuters.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher, Siva Govindasamy, Samantha Lee; Editing by Mark Potter)

 

Sextant Readings Solutions – aviation professionals with a focus on Safety and Risk Management, Quality Management and Quality Assurance, and Compliance for the Aviation Industry, is an IS-BAO Support Services Affiliate, IS-BAO safety consultant and Auditor

Risk Lifecycle

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Sextant Readings Solutions - Risk Life Cycle

Risk Lifecycle

Risks need to be identified, assessed, treated and managed to a point where the organization is comfortable with their risk exposure. This process needs to be robust to ensure all risks are systematically evaluated, assessed and managed effectively.

The Risk Identification process (HAZID) highlights the risks that need to be addressed. Risks are normally logically grouped and those groups are known and managed as Registers.

The inherent risk (the raw risk with no controls or barriers in place) is assessed and quantified (rated based on pre-defined criteria) before being reviewed against a risk matrix.

The placement of the quantified risk on the matrix will determine if the risk is acceptable, needs treated or is unacceptable. If risks are deemed unacceptable, senior executives need to be informed and a value judgment must be made as to whether operations can continue.

Quantification can be from a single perspective or multi-perspective (looking at the risk from a number of viewpoints – environment, people, reputation, profit, etc.)

Risks in need of treatment generate actions to identify and put in place adequate controls and barriers. Those actions are distributed and managed until conclusion.

Once controls or barriers have been put in place the risk is once again quantified to determine if further work is required.

The effectiveness of each control or barrier can be assessed, highlighting the need for additional controls where their effectiveness in isolation is deemed partial or ineffective.

A risk can be considered acceptable but the organization may choose to take additional actions to lower the risk further. This is managed as a target quantification.

The Risk Lifecycle is managed in a way that is simply not possible with spreadsheets.

Sextant Readings Solutions - Control visualization

Gap Analysis

Managing risk with spreadsheets lets you manage what you have in place.

Sextant Readings Solutions - Risk Gap Analysis

However, managing risk provides the same benefits, but also lets you manage what you don’t have in place. And it’s what you don’t have in place that often hurts an organization.

Sextant Readings Solutions - Visualization shows gaps

The visual representation of risks quickly highlights where there is exposure, where there are missing controls and where situations are not being managed effectively.

A risk management solution provides insight into gaps in the risk management system, and aims to alert the appropriate people to accept the situation or do something about it. The solution also provides alerts of risks, controls and actions not being owned or managed to enable appropriate action to address and rectify.

Sextant Readings Solutions - Risk Alerts

Spreadsheets provide no insight as to what is not in place and fail to make intelligent use of the data they contain.

Norcal Business Aviation Association (NCBAA) Safety Day Event in San Jose May 2 featured Dr Tony Kern on Professionalism in Aviation

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Dr. Tony Kern is the CEO of Convergent Performance; a small, veteran owned “think tank” formed in 2004 and dedicated to reducing human error and improving performance in high risk environments such as aviation,military, healthcare and firefighting. Tony is one of the world’s leading authorities on human performance, has lectured on the subjects of applied human factors and performance improvement for nearly two decades, and is the author of seven books on the subject’

The Norcal Business Aviation Association (NCBAA) members were presented to a day of discussion about Professionalism in Aviation with topics like :

  • The Readiness Equation
  • The Baseline of Readiness: The Mind-Body Link
  • Lifelong Readiness: Continuous Improvement and Deliberate Practice
  • Level III Professionalism

We highly recommend Dr. Tony Kern’s insights for all aviation professionals

 

Sextant Readings Solutions – aviation professionals with focus on Compliance, Quality Management and Quality Assurance, Safety and Risk Management for the Aviation Industry, is an IS-BAO Support Services Affiliate and IS-BAO safety consultant and Auditor

Obama taps Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx as Transportation Secretary

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President Barack Obama has tapped Charlotte, North Carolina Mayor Anthony Foxx as the next Transportation Secretary.

Should the Senate approve of the nomination, Foxx will replace Ray LaHood, who decided to step down from his position near the end of January.

LaHood decided to stay on until a suitable successor was found and in the time since then has been very vocal about the state of decline American infrastructure has found itself in.

LaHood also took to his FastLane blog to discuss Foxx’s nomination calling him “the right man for the job.” LaHood pointed out pieces of Foxx’s experience that deal with specific infrastructure issues the country is currently facing, citing the Charlotte Streetcar Project, improvements made to the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the expanded LYNX light rail system, freight and passenger rail upgrades and redesigned intersections on Interstate 85.

In response to his nomination Foxx said reaching across the aisle will be a priority under his oversight. “We must work together across party lines to enhance this nation’s infrastructure,” he said