The 1995 House of Representatives Standing Committee on
Transport, Communications and Infrastructure Plane Safe Report
(Morris, 1995), found that 'a paucity of information' and 'an
absence of safety indicators' were features of the low-capacity RPT
sector of the Australian aviation industry. A Preliminary
Information Paper published by BASI in 1996 concluded that a range
of safety issues warranting further research existed within the
regional airline industry. BASI then appointed a research team to
comprehensively investigate the level of safety in the regional
airline industry.
After a study of safety occurrences in the BASI database and
visits to many regional airlines, a safety questionnaire was sent
to every member of the regional airline industry. More than 28% of
industry members responded to the survey.
The study examined all areas of the regional airlines
operations, including cabin safety, flight operations, maintenance,
airspace management, regulations and surveillance.
Overall, the results indicated that in 1996-97 the safety health
of the industry was good, although some areas for improvement were
identified. Ninety-two per cent of respondents rated the safety of
their regional airline as adequate or better. On the other hand,
57% of respondents identified reasons for avoiding some regional
airlines. The results showed that there was an industry wide
awareness of the importance of a good safety culture.
Where a safety deficiency was identified by this study, safety
action, in the form of a recommendation or a safety advisory
notice, was taken by BASI. A summary of the safety action taken
prior to the release of this report is contained in chapter 6.
This study was conducted with the support of the industry and
shows that, on the whole, the industry does have a high regard for
safety. However, it was found that in some airlines, commercial
pressures were a significant factor in many safety
deficiencies.
Note: The Bureau recognises that a number of changes have
occurred within aspects of the aviation industry between the time
the Regional Airlines Safety Study commenced and the release of
this report. The findings of the study, as summarised in chapter 5
of this report, are based on the 1996-97 structure and climate of
the aviation industry. Every effort has been made to acknowledge
relevant changes.