Asia and Pacific regional accident investigation workshop and ad hoc working group meeting are held in Macao for updating the latest development in work and seek enhanced regional cooperation

Accident investigation is an important aspect of work in aviation safety. To enhance the professional knowledge and the skills of the aviation accident investigators, the “ICAO Regional Accident Investigation Workshop, Asia and Pacific Regions (AIG Workshop)” which is hosted by the Civil Aviation Authority of Macao SAR (AACM) is held from 04 to 05 September 2012 in Macao. More than 100 delegates from the aeronautical authorities and the investigation bureau from the Asia and Pacific Region, big aircraft and engine manufacturers in the world, international organizations and Macao’s aviation operators are taking part in the workshop for the objective of exchanging and sharing with each other their experience in accident investigation, their latest development and technique in the relevant field. In addition, about half of the workshop delegates will continue to take part in the “Second Meeting of the Asia Pacific Regional Aviation Safety Team – Accident Investigation Ad hoc Working Group (2nd Ad hoc Working Group Meeting)” which will be held on 06 and 07 September 2012 to review the implementation of the yearly work plan and discuss how to further enhance regional cooperation.

The workshop and the meeting, with duration of 4 days, are held in the convention facilities of the Macao Science Centre. The opening session of the workshop was conducted at 09:00 this morning (04 September 2012) and was officiated by the President of AACM, Mr. Chan Weng Hong and the Regional Officer, Flight Safety, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Mr. Amal Hewawasam. In his welcome address, Mr. Chan Weng Hong emphasized that safety is the first priority in aviation. AACM puts focused attention to develop and administer their work in the field of accident investigation and is determined to improve the work in legislation and the formulation of procedures. Mr. Chan Weng Hong said that through hosting the workshop in Macao, it is possible to allow more local investigators and industry people to exchange views and opinions with, learn the investigation techniques and the good experiences from the experts in other places. In his opening remarks, Mr. Amal Hewawasam expressed that ICAO wishes to enhance the professional knowledge and the skills of the investigators in the Asia and Pacific Region through sustainable training and requests the member states and administrations to increase cooperation in the Region.

In the two-day workshop, 20 representatives from 13 different organizations, including 2 investigators from AACM, will make a total of 22 presentations which cover topics on difficulties encountered during investigation, manufacturer investigation process, sea search operations, setting up of an accident investigation unit, safety data sharing and protection, and case study. The two AACM investigators will share with the other delegates in detail the setting up of the Authority’s Accident Prevention and Investigation Unit and the setting up of the Authority’s voluntary incident reporting system.

In the aspect of aviation accident investigation, Macao did not devise relevant legislation in the past. ICAO also gave their recommendation for legislation in the field of accident investigation when they carried out their audit on Macao’s safety oversight work in 2009. For this reason, AACM established an internal cross-departmental accident investigation task force in 2010. An important task to be accomplished by this task force is to study and draft the “Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation and Aviation Safety Information Protection Law (AIG Law)”. The draft law was already approved in the general discussions of the Legislative Assembly and will be reviewed by the Third Permanent Committee of the Assembly in their detailed discussions in October this year. The law is expected to be effective in 2012. Apart from defining the responsibilities of investigation, the law also establishes the principles for establishing the confidential and non-punitive operation for the collection of safety information from the industry. In addition to formulating the law, AACM is also working on a voluntary incident reporting system for the purpose of collecting safety information, which is named “Macao Confidential Aviation Reporting System (MACCARES)”. This system aims at encouraging industry people to report to the Authority any possible factors that may contribute to an incident in their daily operation, so that corrective measures can be taken to prevent the incident from occurring. The MACCARES will be launched after the implementation of the AIG Law.

To learn about the factors leading to an accident through investigation can help to reduce the possibility of accident occurrence. Therefore, aeronautical authorities, safety oversight bureau and accident investigation bureau in different places often put focused attention on staff training and the exchange with other places. The ICAO AIG Workshop is the eighth of its series to have been held. Every year, the workshop is able to attract more than 100 investigators and industry people to take part. The participants are often enthusiastic to learn about the latest development in the relevant field in other places and share with each other their latest technique and experiences.

To facilitate the delegates of the 2nd Ad hoc Working Group Meeting to host their discussions following the conclusion of the workshop, being a member administration of the Group, AACM will host the meeting in the same convention facilities. The 2nd Ad hoc Working Group will review the implementation of their yearly work plan and discuss among themselves the agenda items of independence of investigation, investigator training, investigation cooperation, voluntary and non-punitive incident reporting, accident and incident database and so on.

The Ad hoc Working Group was set up following the discussions of the 48th Conference of Directors-General of Civil Aviation, Asia and Pacific Regions in 2011. The objective of the Ad hoc Working Group, which meets twice every year, is to review the accident investigation systems that have been developed in the Asia and Pacific Region and identify interventions, and look for policies and procedures for improvement through a coordinated effort, with a view to effectively reduce the regional aviation accident risk and enhance the skills of the investigators in the Region.

The AIG Workshop has a participation of more than 100 attendees who come from 39 countries, administrations or organizations, which include the aeronautical authorities and the accident investigation bureau from Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, mainland China, Hong Kong China, Macao China, France, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Singapore and Thailand; (international organizations) ICAO and its subsidiary “Cooperative Operational Safety and Continuing Airworthiness Programme – South Asia”, and International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations; (aircraft manufacturers) Airbus and Boeing; (engine and parts manufacturers) Pratt & Whitney and Rolls Royce plc; (service provider of sea search operations) ACSA from France and PAN-Communication from China; (Macao’s aviation operators) CAM-Macau International Airport Co. Ltd., Administration of Airports Ltd., Menzies Macau Airport Services Ltd., Macau Business Aviation Centre, Air Macau Co. Ltd., East Asia Airlines Ltd., Jet Asia Ltd., Macau Jet International Co. Ltd. and Sky Tech Aircraft Engineering Ltd. The 2nd Ad hoc Working Group Meeting will have a participation of more than 50 attendees.

The “ICAO Regional Accident Investigation Workshop, Asia and Pacific Regions” and the “Second Meeting of the Asia Pacific Regional Aviation Safety Team – Accident Investigation Ad hoc Working Group” are held in the convention facilities of Macao Science Centre from 04 to 07 September 2012.

The two events attract participation of more than 100 delegates from the aeronautical authorities and the investigation bureau from the Asia and Pacific Region, big aircraft and engine manufacturers in the world, international organizations and Macao’s aviation operators.