FLYING Magazine visits AF Safety Center

  • Published
  • By Marie Vanover
  • Kirtland AFB Public Affairs
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, New Mexico --  Robert Goyer, senior editor of FLYING Magazine, visited the Air Force Safety Center for briefings on the center's mission and a tour of the facility.

The visit, spearheaded by Col. Sid Mayeux, chief, Aviation Safety, introduced Mr. Goyer to various divisions in the center, including branches of the aviation safety division, media and force development division, analysis and integration division, and human factors division, as well as a tour of the Air Force Crash Laboratory.

The center staff explained procedures for safety and accident investigation boards, education and training curriculum advances, aircrew planning tools for bird/wildlife aircraft strike prevention, and the creation of a human factors division. The staff also showcased the remotely piloted aircraft safety branch, and detailed their expanding engagement with the Federal Aviation Authority to help integrate RPAs into the national airspace system. The tour concluded with an interview with Maj. Gen. Fred Roggero, Air Force chief of safety and commander, AFSC.

"This was an opportunity for us to show the nation's general aviation audience who we are, and speak to our success in achieving the Air Force's safest flying year ever in fiscal year 2009," said Colonel Mayeux.

The reporter's goal was to see first-hand the many elements of the Air Force aviation safety program, learn about the center's mission, and how the Air Force achieved a record low in aviation safety mishaps. In Fiscal Year 2009, the Air Force suffered 17 Class A aviation flight mishaps, a rate of 0.8 mishaps per 100,000 flying hours.

"I was impressed with how the Air Force approaches the various aspects of safety and incorporates all of the different (safety) disciplines," said Mr. Goyer. He added the numbers the Air Force has achieved were impressive.

Colonel Mayeux attributes the success to three main reasons: the change in culture, the emphasis on top-down leadership, and Airmen at all levels communicating the safety message.

"Our culture has changed--we are taking a more 'back-to-basics' approach with safety and leadership is highly engaged; we are not just 'talking the talk ... we walk the talk," said the colonel.

During the interview, General Roggero discussed the center's on-going initiatives to incorporate risk management messages off-duty as well as on-duty.

"We want to reach out to Airmen across the Air Force on- and off-duty--just last month (Jan.), we brought in eleven Airmen from across the Air Force to get their feedback on what we can do to ensure our messages are reaching everyone," he said. Additionally, the center is expanding their distance learning capabilities to reach a wider audience.

Throughout the day, safety center officials stressed the importance of both air and ground safety and their goal: Ensure every Airman is a safe Airman.

The FLYING Magazine article on the center should be published sometime this spring.