RISK MANAGEMENT

In flying I have learned that carelessness and overconfidence are usually far more dangerous than deliberately accepted risks.

— Wilbur Wright in a letter to his father, September 1900.

Risk represents the likelihood of an event occurring and the expected damages if it does occur. Generally risk is calculated on a single event. Exposure is frequently the biggest single factor in risk calculations. There are risk everywhere, when we go for a walk, in our cars, in every kind of jobs, and off course, in aviation. We can learn how to deal with risks but, we can't eliminate them completely, it would be extremely expensive and impossible. The job of the aviation safety manager is primarily to identify risks and communicate that knowledge to the appropriate line manager. The unacceptable risks must be avoided, eliminated or reduced to the point of acceptability.

There are four steps in the elaboration of a risk management program:

1. Make an accurate assessment of the hazards involved.
2. Take the total assessment of the risk involved and ask the line managers if they are prepared to accept that risk.
3. Look at each of the hazards and find those that can be eliminated.
4. Look for hazards that can be reduced.

Aviation Safety Programs
Richard H. Wood