ATASC Editorial - Air to Air Safety Conference - Brief Article

Approach, Oct, 2000 by Skip Dirren

Everyone in the military--and aviation, in particular--knows that the magic word today is "interoperability." You can expect that during your next deployment, you will operate with or conduct an exercise with another U.S. service or foreign nation. Some of you have been to Aviano, and in WestPac, where we quite often operate out of airfields in other countries. A special section in this month's magazine highlights some of the problems that can crop up when you are assigned to or operate with someone other than the Navy or Marine Corps.

Because communication ensures coordination, the seventh U.S.-Israel Air to Air Safety Conference (ATASC) convenes during the week of Nov. 13, 2000. Representatives from the United States Air Force, Navy, Army, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and the Israeli Air Force will exchange safety information, review new technologies, analyze human factors and discuss mishap-investigation procedures.

The first ATASC was held in Israel in the spring of 1991, with follow-on conferences hosted every 18 months by one of our service safety centers. From the beginning, the conference has expanded from basic information exchanges to opportunities to discuss how to improve operational readiness and joint and combined operations. The conference has also given us the chance to develop professional relationships that foster a global approach to risk management and hazard awareness. Because of rapid changes in technology and the global-security environment, ATASC 7 promises to be an exciting and meaningful forum.

Past meeting have set a high standard, with lively and interesting seminars. The four venues--mishap investigation, human factors. operations and maintenance, and ground safety--run simultaneously, making it hard to decide which session to attend. Here are some of the topics planned for this year's conference: crew coordination for maintainers, ORM training systems, methods for enhancing the video used for mishap investigations, use of digital data in debrief and post-flight training, midair-avoidance systems for tactical aircraft, and avoiding aircrew fatigue.

This year, along with the staffs of the service safety centers, we've invited wing and unit safety officers to participate. I feel sure this year meeting will produce thought-provoking ideas that will help us continue to improve our ability to fight and win our nation's battles with the minimum loss of lives and assets.