AVIATION RISK MANAGEMENT: WHAT IS IT?

Mobility Forum, May/Jun 2006 by Haussermann, Eric

HAVE YOU HEARD THIS ONE BEFORE?

Some of you may feel Operational Risk Management, more commonly referred to as "ORM", is just another dirty three letter "word"...Does anyone remember TQM? This can happen even with the best of programs when they are mandated with little understanding. However, ORM is simply applying common sense to whatever challenge you face. Over the years, ORM for aviators has typically been a patchwork of unit procedures and vague command guidance. Often our leaders weren't exactly sure what it was, but they knew it was supposed to be good. So they would say something like, "go do some of that ORM stuff." Of course, directing everyone to use ORM without putting down a foundation of understanding can be counterproductive. If people are really going to get on board the "risk management" train they have to be convinced it will actually improve their lives and the way we do business.

WHAT IS AVIATION ORM?

By now, I suspect everyone in the Air Force is familiar with the ORM acronym. Risk management is a natural component of daily life. Every time we cook a meal, walk down the street, ride a bike, drive our car, participate in sports, watch television, purchase a product or decide where to live we are choosing the best course of action for a specific given situation. Our professional life mirrors our personal life when it comes to ORM with one exception: the military has detailed regulatory risk management procedures in place to help ensure standardized decision making within the organization.

When it comes to aviation, ORM is not a new concept. All Technical Orders, Instructions, Checklists and Publications currently in use are, by definition, ORM documents. For example, the steps for starting an aircraft engine have been evaluated using "decision-making tools" and determined to be the "best course of action" prior to Tech Order and Checklist inclusion. The point here is that a certain level of ORM has already been applied and integrated into almost every existing aspect of flight operations.

IS THIS SMART?

We all have a little voice inside our head telling us, "that doesn't look right," asking "is this smart?" or, in some cases, telling us, "This is stupid!" Some call this instinct or "the pinch." In our personal lives we usually have the correct answer or safest course of action stored in our memory. The fact we have survived up to this point indicates most of the time we make the proper risk management decisions. However, faced with the complex, technical and frequently hostile environment associated with aviation, the decision-making voice in our head needs some help. We rely on regulations, training and other external sources much more heavily to answer the, "Is this smart?" question. Due to the severe consequences associated with aviation mishaps, each person involved with flight operations should make use of every available risk management device.

HOW WE USE ORM NOW

The official Air Force ORM process is designed to minimize risks in order to reduce mishaps, preserve assets, and safeguard individual health and welfare. The scientific approach to ORM entails using various tested objective analytical methods to determine the risk level of one specific event or one specific set of circumstances. Since this system is not practical in military aviation considering the unlimited number of variables and the hundreds of missions we must fly daily, the Air Force uses what I refer to as Generalized ORM.

If someone had to analyze the possible risks for every specific set of conditions (or each mission task) before receiving approval to launch, the Air Force would have to park all of its aircraft. Generalized ORM gives qualified individuals the ability to rate risk in a timely manner using their expert judgment in combination with certain preexisting, objective and regulated parameters. Let's look at an example:

Takeoff Example: KC-10A takeoff with the following conditions: 600,000-pound gross weight, 9,000-foot runway length, 1,500-foot pressure altitude, 28-degree Fahrenheit temperature, calm winds, visibility 1 mile, snowing, no precision approach available, 2,000-foot obstacle located along the departure flight path 6 miles from the departure end of runway and a departure time of 0100 local.

A pilot may judge the above example as risky but acceptable based on regulations and their experience and judgment. But now throw in a crosswind of 40 knots and regulatory risk management steps in preventing departure.

Today, the most common practice is to use ORM as a reminder to follow established procedures. This is not the wrong way to utilize ORM but it is incomplete. Current directives are very good at detailing the proper procedure for carrying out specific tasks, both individually and in groups (for example; correct operation of wing flaps and slats and when to use wing flaps and slats during takeoff, departure, approach and landing). Existing guidance can be less helpful when it comes to choosing the best course of action.