PLANES OF FAME AIR MUSEUM

7000 Merrill Avenue, Suite 17

Chino, CA 91710

Ph. 909-597-4754; Fax 909-597-4755

SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Revision – 1

31 May 2016
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PLANES OF FAME AIR MUSEUM

SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

PURPOSE, SAFETY POLICY, RESPONSIBILITIES, GOALS

1.0 SUMMARY

Safety is developed and maintained in a management structure utilizing current SMS 

methods. The Planes of Fame safety culture is fostered first by the awareness of its members. Safety 

is to be paramount. No factor, consideration or situation should be allowed to supersede the 

importance of safety in museum matters. All museum personnel shall be trained in the SMS system. 

Regular reports will be given at meetings to update management and members of current SMS 

progress and issues. A safety committee shall meet once per quarter. The current status of the SMS 

shall be given to management quarterly.

Contemporary safety management is built around the philosophy of catching problems in the 

early stages of their development before they become hazardous. Historically, aviation safety has 

evolved in phases. Great effort has been spent on the safety of aircraft design. As aircraft themselves 

became a smaller part of the safety picture, operational methods were carefully analyzed. Better 

weather reporting, standard operating procedures, and rest requirements led to higher levels of 

safety. Crew resource management (CRM) was developed. CRM addressed the idea that with safe 

aircraft and procedures in place, the attitudes of people in the workplace remained as a risk factor. 

Aviation now benefits from safe equipment, sound operating procedures and personnel trained in 

teamwork and resource management.

SMS represents the next step forward in reducing hazard. The museum promotes a safety 

culture where risks are analyzed ahead of time. Reports of hazards are sought from all members, 

throughout the organization. These reports are studied. Hazards are mitigated as soon as possible and 

reports are watched for developing patterns. The goal of the SMS is to make the museum predictive 

rather than reactive to hazard. SMS philosophy allows an error chain to be broken before harm can 

occur.

1.1 BACKGROUND

This Safety Management System was developed by the PoF to enhance safety 

within our Aircraft Operations Department. This is not a regulatory or approved 

document and its contents do not supersede any requirements mandated by the 
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FAR, nor does it supersede or amend the manufacturer's type-specific Aircraft 

Flight Manuals, crew manuals, minimum equipment lists, or any other approved 

documentation. 

The Planes of Fame Air Museum (Museum) is committed to maintaining the highest level of safety 

in our efforts to preserve historic aircraft and educate the public. Central to the effort of 

implementing and coordinating our safely program is the Safely Management System (SMS). This 

system provides management with the tools to develop and maintain safety throughout the scope of 

Planes of Fame operations. Museum personnel are provided with the awareness, training and tools to 

implement the SMS. The SMS makes Museum safety a normal part of operations and is in keeping 

with contemporary aviation safety practices.

The Planes of Fame Air Museum Safety Management System is under the direct control of 

the President and the Board of Directors. The SMS is implemented and managed by the Safety 

Coordinators. Other key personnel are the Chief Pilot and the Volunteer Coordinator.

President: Steve Hinton

Directors: Karen Hinton

Steve Hinton

Ed Maloney

John Maloney

Tom Nightingale

Bill Schenz

Chief Pilot: Kevin Eldridge

Chief of Maintenance: Matt Nightengale

Safety Coordinators: Robert Hayford

Scott Turner

Volunteer Coordinator: Jerry Wilkins 

Museum Facility: Richard Warner

For further information or to submit comments and/or suggestions related to 

this handbook, please contact Karen Hinton at karen.hinton@planesoffame.org.
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2.0 SAFETY COMMITMENT

The PoF Safety Management System is essential for effectively managing the 

safety of Aircraft Operations flight activities. It is more than just safe operating 

practices; it is a total management program. POF management sets the safety 

standards by:

 

• Specifying the organizations standards.

• Ensuring that everyone knows the standards and accepts them.

• Make sure deviations from the standard are recognised, reported, and 

corrected.

The POF maintains its standards through the support of the Aircraft Operations 

staff involved in developing the standards and responsibilities. The ultimate 

responsibility for safety rests with the management of the POF. POF

management has accepted the responsibility for safe operations. However, 

without the safety commitment of all personnel, the safety program is unlikely 

to be successful. 

The individual to co-ordinate the POF’s safety program is the Fight Operations 

Safety Officer. The Safety Officer is responsible for promoting safety 

awareness, overseeing safety training and ensuring that the prevention of 

incidents and accidents is the priority throughout all activities associated with 

the Aircraft Operations and the Aircraft Operations unit.

3.0 SAFETY POLICY

The President and management of The Planes of Fame Air Museum (POF) 

regard an effective safety program as vital in achieving the mission of the 

Aircraft Operations Department. In recognition of this fact, the POF is 

committed to providing a safe and healthful working environment free of 

recognized hazards for its employees, volunteers, and guests. Safety is also an 

individual responsibility and must exist in our thinking, planning, and actions. 

All Aircraft Operations personnel will be held accountable for fulfilling their 

responsibilities under this safety program. 
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The cornerstone of an effective safety program is an active accident prevention 

system. The Aircraft Operations Department is committed to eliminating 

hazards and minimizing potential risks through the diligent practice of risk 

analysis. Hazards and incidents resulting from department operations shall be 

identified at all levels. Conditions and acts posing unacceptable risk shall be 

eliminated or changed to prevent personnel injury or illness and property 

damage or loss.

All levels of management embrace the concept that a strong and effective safety 

program is vital in effectively achieving the mission of the POF. In response to 

this commitment the POF is dedicated to providing a safe working environment 

for its volunteer/employees, free of any and all recognized hazards. Further, it 

is committed to providing the highest level of safety attainable in all of its 

activities and most especially when dealing with customers and guests. 

Every volunteer/employee must recognize that safety is the responsibility of 

each individual and must always be foremost in their thinking, planning and 

actions. All personnel will be held accountable for fulfilling their 

responsibilities under this safety management system. 

The underpinning of an effective safety management system is an active, nonretribution reporting system utilized in concert with and effective accident 

prevention program. The POF is committed to eliminating hazards while 

minimizing the potential risks through the diligent practice of accident, incident 

prevention and risk analysis. Hazards will be identified at all levels, while 

conditions and acts posing unacceptable risks will be eliminated, changed or 

controlled to prevent personnel injury as well as preventing property damage 

and/or loss.

4.0 SAFETY CULTURE

A safety culture or climate should be thought of as the Aircraft Operations 

Department’s collective norms, standards, perceptions and behaviors with 

respect to safety. Management’s fostering of a positive safety culture is critical 

to any effective safety program. The following concepts and actions are 

elements of our positive safety culture: 
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• Unqualified commitment to safety as a behavioral pattern and pervasive 

way of life by top management. 

• Unambiguous expectations by management as well as each peer group 

that, for all employees and volunteers, safe life patterns and work habits 

are as normal as breathing and must be practiced off site as well as on 

POF grounds 

• Availability of quality, standardized equipment with which to accomplish 

the assigned tasks. 

• Clear, easily understood operating procedures, followed without 

deviation. 

• Inclusive system of communications for collecting, analyzing, and 

exchanging incident data related to safety. 

• Non-retribution for submission of incident data. 

• Retraining without penalty or stigma when safety is involved. 

• System for tracking incident and accident data, analysis of trends, and 

feedback of results. 

• Peer acceptance that accidents/incidents are preventable, regardless of 

operations. 

• Peer acceptance that safety is a matter of lifestyle – a matter of culture. 

5.0 SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

The elements of the POF Aircraft Operations Safety Management System are:

1. An accident/incident prevention program,

2. Employee/volunteer safety and accident prevention education and 

training,

3. An internal reporting system to allow employees and other personnel to 

report incidents and recognized hazards.

4. Senior management commitment to the POF safety management system 

and their dedication to providing the safest environment in which to work 

and operate.

5. Hazard identification and risk management.

6. Internal safety and compliance audits/assessments.

7. Human factors and safety training are an integral part of all training 

programs.

8. Emergency response planning and practice are integral to the POF’s 

success and safety culture.
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9. That safety is a part of the everyday environment and the POF is 

committed to regular evaluation and improvement of the program.

5.1 RESPONSIBILITY FOR SAFETY

The responsibility for maintaining a safe environment begins with senior 

management and extends to each and every employee and volunteer. 

Ultimately, the responsibility for safety is a decision of lifestyle; one that blends 

easily between personal and POF related activities. Responsibilities of various 

individuals are as follows:

President: Steve Hinton

Directors: Brian Boyer

Karen Hinton

Steve Hinton

Ed Maloney

John Maloney

Tom Nightingale

Bill Schenz

Chief Pilot: Kevin Eldridge

Chief of Maintenance: Matt Nightengale

Safety Officers/Coordinators:Robert Hayford

Scott Turner

Volunteer Coordinator: Jerry Wilkins 

Museum Facility: Richard Warner

5.1.1 SAFETY OFFICER

The Safety Officer is tasked with the overall responsibility for development and 

implementation of the Aircraft Operations Department Safety Management 

System. The Safety Officer reports directly to the POF President on all safety 

issues and shall also serve all levels of the Aircraft Operations Department as an 

advisor on safety matters. Specific responsibilities include:
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• Develop and implement safety systems for the Aircraft Operations 

Department personnel to ensure a safe and healthful work environment.

• Advise management of recognized hazards and unsafe/unhealthful 

working conditions.

• Periodically assess Safety Program effectiveness and compliance.

• Update Safety Management System as necessary to maintain regulatory 

compliance.

• Perform periodic safety audits.

• Evaluate available training resources. Advise management concerning 

training requirements, methods, and sources.

• Disseminate safety-related information.

• Process Hazard and Incident Reports for the purpose of identifying and 

eliminating or mitigating workplace hazards.

5.1.2 SAFETY REPRESENTATIVES

Individuals may volunteer to perform supplemental duties in support of the 

Safety Management System. Specific responsibilities include:

• Act as the Safety Officer’s representative at the respective location.

• Advise the Safety Officer on safety-related issues.

• Disseminate urgent and routine safety information to personnel.

• Respond to the safety concerns of personnel and forward concerns to the 

Safety Officer.
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• Assist the Safety Officer in conducting periodic Safety Audits.

• Current members are: Robert Hayford and Scott Turner.

5.1.3 SUPERVISORS

Supervisors are critical to the implementation and conduct of an effective safety 

program. They are responsible to management for the maintenance of a safe 

environment and the activities of employees/volunteers within their area of 

responsibility. Specifically, supervisors shall:

• Advise management of recognized hazards and unsafe/unhealthy 

working conditions or practices and recommend actions to mitigate those 

hazards, conditions, or practices.

• Train employees and volunteers in safe work practices and potential 

hazards and unsafe conditions within their area of responsibility.

• Advise the Safety Officer of any employee’s or volunteer’s injuries or 

illnesses as a result of workplace activities. 

5.1.4 EMPLOYEES/VOLUNTEERS

Employees are essential to the maintenance of a safe and healthy work 

environment and the conduct of an effective safety program. Specifically, 

employees and volunteers shall:

• Comply with all safety practices and requirements.

• Implement all safe work practices provided during training. 

• Advise supervisors or the Safety Officer of recognized hazards and 

unsafe working conditions.

6.0 SAFETY PERFORMANCE GOALS
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The goal of this safety management system is to provide a framework for a 

safety culture throughout the POF and the POF Flight Operations Department to 

reduce the possibility of accidents/incidents to the lowest possible level.

6.1 SAFETY/INCIDENT REPORTING SYSTEM

A key to any successful Safety Management System is the ability for all 

participants to report hazards or potential hazards in a confidential non-punitive 

environment. The reporting system itself must be not only confidential but 

simple, direct and convenient. Once hazards are identified they must be 

acknowledged, investigated and actions must be taken to address the safety 

issues. The POF is dedicated to providing an environment where the above 

conditions for success are met and encourages all volunteer/employees to 

participate in the program.

The success of POF’s Safety Management System is contingent upon an 

effective system to prevent accidents, incidents, and injuries. Essential to this 

objective is a program to identify and eliminate or mitigate hazards and to 

prevent the occurrence of accidents, incidents, and injuries. Under normal 

circumstances, hazards should be identified, reported and corrected as a matter 

of daily routine at the lowest operational level utilizing established lines of 

authority and responsibility. For other situations, the Safety and Incident 

Reporting System provides a means for employees/volunteers to report safety 

hazards or reportable incidents to management for appropriate action.

6.2 REPORTING PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The POF has chosen multiple vehicles for reporting hazards or potential 

hazards. Prominently displayed and available throughout all facilities are the 

POF safety reporting forms. If a hazard is recognized and cannot be resolved 

via normal volunteer/employee/supervisor procedures, the observer shall 

complete a Safety Report or a Flight Operations Incident Report and submit it 

to the Safety Officer. Reports may be submitted either in paper format or 

electronically via email. Volunteer/employees are also encouraged to contact 

their immediate supervisor or his/her supervisor to report any real or perceived 

hazards directly. Once these are reported the supervisor is responsible for 

getting the information to both the Safety Officer and the senior manager in 
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charge of the section where the hazard is located. The hazard is then tracked 

until it is mitigated or completely eliminated, controlled or reduced to an 

acceptable level.

The following provides a guideline for determining whether a situation warrants 

the submission of a report. This description is not all-inclusive and the 

originator should exercise sound judgment and discretion when determining if a 

report should be submitted. A Safety Report or Flight Operations Incident 

Report shall be submitted when any situation, practice, procedure, or process is 

observed that is (See Attachment 2):

• A recognized safety concern, or

• Considered unusual from an operational or procedural standpoint, or

• Considered deficient from a safety standpoint, and in the submitter's 

opinion, possesses a foreseeable potential for injury or illness to persons 

or damage or loss of property if not addressed in a timely manner.

Any safety concern that would be of interest to others involved in like activities 

should be reported. Safety Reports are not required for hazards that are able to 

be resolved immediately in the normal activities of the workplace, however, 

when a hazard is likely to be duplicated in other POF workplaces a Safety 

Report should be submitted for the benefit of other affected employees.

Additionally, a Flight Operations Incident Report shall be submitted when any 

of the following occur (See Attachment 2):

• System defects which could or will adversely affect the handling 

characteristics of the aircraft and renders it un-flyable

• Warning of fire or smoke

• Declaration of an in-flight emergency

• Safety equipment or procedures are defective or inadequate

• Deficiencies exist in operating procedures or instructions

• Incorrect loading of fuel or cargo or the discovery of the presence of 

dangerous goods

• Operating standards are degraded
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• Any engine has been shutdown in flight

• Ground damage occurs to any equipment

• A rejected take-off is executed

• A runway or taxiway excursion occurs

• A runway or taxiway incursion occurs

• A navigation error involving a significant deviation from track

• An altitude excursion of more that 400 feet occurs

• Exceeding limiting parameters for the aircraft configuration

• Communications fail or are impaired

• A stall warning occurs, other then just prior to touchdown

• A heavy or hard landing check is required

• Loss of braking

• Elevator trim malfunctions of any type

• Aircraft is evacuated

• Aircraft lands with less then reserve fuel remaining

• Wake turbulence event occurs that is more than routine

• Windshear or other severe weather is encountered

• Crew or passengers become seriously ill, injured or are incapacitated

• Any part of the aircraft or its equipment is sabotaged or vandalized

• Security procedures are breached

• Bird strike or Foreign Object Damage

• Any other event considered to have or potentially have serious safety 

implications.

The report submitter's identification on the report is optional but is encouraged 

in the event that further information is required for elimination of the hazard. 

Reports should be concise and should accurately and thoroughly describe the 

hazard. When applicable, reports should include the submitter's 

recommendation(s) for corrective action. In circumstances where the perceived 

hazard possesses the immediate potential for injury/illness to persons or 

damage/loss of property, the Safety Officer or the Aircraft Operations Director 

shall be notified immediately by the most expeditious means possible for the 

purpose of determining appropriate action to prevent such injury/illness or 

damage/loss.
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6.3 REPORT PROCESSING

Upon receipt of a Safety Report or Flight Operations Incident Report, the Safety 

Officer will conduct an investigation to determine the content of the report as 

well as to gain additional information concerning the report's subject matter. 

Any hazardous situations or equipment shall be either placarded or removed 

from service until the hazardous situation is corrected. The submitter, if 

identified, will be advised of the result of the investigation. If a Safety Report or 

Flight Operations Incident Report identifies a problem that concerns policy or 

procedures the problem may be forwarded to the Safety Committee. Problems 

or issues outside the scope or authority of the Safety Program, will be 

forwarded to the POF President or to the appropriate person responsible.

The following procedures are used to control the flow of hazard rectification:

• All hazard reports will be forwarded to the Safety Officer as soon as they 

are received

• The Safety Officer is responsible for guaranteeing the confidentiality of 

the report, the ensuing investigation and the problem rectification

• The Safety Officer is responsible for performing any follow up actions 

necessary to clarify the details or nature of the problem, while ensuring 

confidentiality is maintained.

• The Safety Officer is responsible for acknowledging and providing 

feedback to any volunteer/employee who makes their identity known 

during submission.

• When appropriate the de-identified report will be made available to all 

volunteer/employees for review and for informational purposes.

• Less complex issues will be resolved by the Safety Officer and the 

Director of Aircraft Operations. 

• Issues concerning policy, conflict and incident review will be handled by 

the POF Aircraft Operations Safety Committee.

• Resolution of complex operational issues will be coordinated with the 

POF President and senior staff.

• POF President, Safety Officer and other senior staff will determine if the 

resolution requires a change to the General Operations Manual, training 

manuals or the SMS to insure an equivalent level of safety throughout the 

organization.
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• The key to success in the rectification of any problem is open 

communications and the POF is committed to ensuring this takes place 

on a continuing basis.

Final reports will be distributed as follows:

• The original will be kept in the Safety office files

• A copy will be forwarded to the President

• A copy will be forwarded to the affected department manager

• The Safety Committee will receive a copy

• The individual submitting the hazard report, if they identified themselves.

6.4 NON-REPRISAL POLICY

It is imperative that the POF has uninhibited reporting of all hazards, 

occurrences and incidents that in any way affect the safety of our operations, 

employees, volunteers, passengers, or visitors. Thus, it is the policy of the POF

to recognize the efforts of individuals who identify and communicate unsafe 

acts and conditions for the purpose of promoting safety. Consistent with this 

approach, it is also the responsibility of each employee/volunteer to 

communicate any and all information that could possibly affect the integrity of 

both flight and ground safety. All communications made by 

employees/volunteers pursuant to the reporting process shall be made with the 

assurance that no retaliation or reprisal shall occur to the employee/volunteer 

for submitting any information via the Safety and Incident Reporting System. 

The identity of employees and volunteers who provide information through this 

system shall be protected and will remain confidential. 

6.5 SAFETY AUDIT/ASSESSMENT 

The POF recognizes the value of a continual safety audit/assessment program 

that reviews training, record keeping, and procedures within the Aircraft 

Operations Department. Complying with policies and procedures requires the 

expenditure of considerable time and the commitment of valuable resources. An 
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important segment of the Safety Program is the commitment to continually 

evaluate the entire Aircraft Operations program on a regularly scheduled basis.

Audits of the Aircraft Operations Department will be conducted by the Safety 

Officer on a regular basis. The audits will cover aircraft operations, aircraft 

maintenance, record keeping, operational procedures, observation of flight 

operations and any other areas requested by the POF Aircraft Operations 

Director. 

The audit findings will be used to determine if any changes to the current 

policies and procedures are required. Recommendations for changes to simple 

operational issues can be dealt with by the POF Aircraft Operations Director 

and the Safety Officer. 

6.5.1 TREND ANALYSIS

The POF accepts the fact that one event can be considered as an isolated 

incident but two similar events may indicate the start of a trend. If an event 

recurs after preventive measures are in place, the cause must be determined to 

ascertain whether the first corrective action was proper, if the steps in the 

corrective action were not properly followed or if further corrective action is 

warranted in order to prevent recurrence in the future.

The POF Safety Officer has developed a program to track safety related events. 

Information from Safety Reports and Flight Operations Incident Reports will be 

gathered and tracked for trend analysis. The system will enable the Safety 

Officer to:

• Log safety events under various categories

• Link events to related documents (e.g. reports, photographs, etc)

• Monitor trends

• Review historical records

• Monitor event investigations

• Apply risk factors

• Identify corrective actions and responses

• Report to the POF Aircraft Operations Director any safety issues
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Attachment 1

HUMAN FACTORS

GENERAL

The following discussion is one method of addressing Human Factors issues. 

Safety is a main objective in the aviation industry. A major contributor to 

achieve that objective is a better understanding of Human Factors and the broad 

application of its knowledge. Increasing awareness of Human Factors will 

result in a safer and more efficient working environment.

The purpose of this section is to introduce this subject and to provide guidelines 

for improving human performance through a better understanding of the factors 

affecting it through the application of Crew Resource Management (CRM) 

concepts in normal and emergency situations and understanding of the accident 

model.

THE MEANING OF HUMAN FACTORS

HUMAN ERROR

The human element is the most flexible, adaptable and valuable part of safety. 

But it is also the most vulnerable to influence, which can adversely affect its 

performance. Lapses in human performance are cited as causal factors in the 

majority of incidents/accidents, which are commonly attributed to “Human 

Error”. Human Factors have been progressively developed to enhance the 

Safety of complex systems, such as aviation, by promoting the understanding of 

the predictable human limitations and its applications in order to properly 

manage the ‘human error’. It is only when seeing such an error from a complex 

system viewpoint that we can identify the causes that lead to it and address 

those causes.

ERGONOMICS

The term “ergonomics” is defined as “the study of the efficiency of persons in 

their working environment.”
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It is often used by aircraft manufacturers and designers to refer to the study of 

human-machine system design issues (e.g. Pilot-Cockpit, Flight Attendant -

Galley, etc.). ICAO uses the term ergonomics in a broader context, including 

human performance and behaviour, thus synonymous with the term Human 

Factors.

WHAT IS HUMAN FACTORS?

• It studies people working together in concert with machines.

• It aims at achieving safety and efficiency by optimising the role of people 

whose activities relate to complex hazardous systems such as aviation.

• A multidisciplinary field devoted to optimising human performance and 

reducing human error.

• It incorporates the methods and principles of the behavioural and social 

sciences, physiology and engineering.

THE AIM OF STUDYING HUMAN FACTORS IN AVIATION

By studying Human Factors we notice that the human Factor is the most 

important component and the remaining components must be adapted and 

matched to the human. In aviation, this is vital, as errors can be deadly.

Manufacturers study hardware interface when designing a new machine and its 

physical components. Seats are designed to fit the sitting characteristics of the 

human body; controls are designed with proper movement, instruments layout 

and information provided are designed to match the human being 

characteristics, etc.

The task is even harder since the human being, adapts to mismatches, thus 

masking any mismatch without removing it, and constitutes a potential hazard. 

Examples of that are the different cockpit layouts for the many different aircraft 

flown by Aircraft operations pilots.

One of the most difficult interfaces to match with the human is the environment 

in which he operates. 
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Adding proficient and effective individuals together to form a group or a set of 

views does not automatically imply that the group will function in a proficient 

and effective way unless they can function as a team. For them to successfully 

do so, we need leadership, good communication, crew-co-operation, and 

teamwork and personality interactions. Crew Resource Management (CRM) is 

designed to accomplish that goal.

In brief, Human Factors in aviation aim at increasing the awareness of the 

human element within the context of the system and provide the necessary tools 

to improve safety and efficiency.

SAFETY & EFFICIENCY

Safety and efficiency are so closely interrelated that in many cases their 

influences overlap and factors affecting one may also affect the other. Human 

Factors have a direct impact on those two broad areas.

Safety is affected by the Human-Hardware interface. Should a change affect 

such interface the result might be catastrophic. In a particular aircraft accident, 

one causal factor cited in the report was that “variation in panel layout among 

the aircraft in the fleet had adversely affected crew performance”. 

Safety is also affected by the Human -Software interface. Wrong information 

set in the date-base and unnoticed by the crew or erroneously entered by them 

can result in a tragedy. In a case where an aircraft crashed into terrain, 

information transfer and data entry errors were committed by navigation 

personnel and unchecked by Flight Crew were among the causal factors.

Crew interface also plays a major role in Safety. Failure to communicate vital 

information can result in aircraft and life loss. In one runway collision, 

misinterpretation of verbal messages and a breakdown in normal 

communication procedures were considered as causal factors. 

Efficiency is also directly influenced by Human Factors and its application. In 

turn it has a direct bearing on safety.

For instance, motivation constitutes a major boost for individuals to perform 

with greater effectiveness, which will contribute to a safe operation. Properly 
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trained crewmembers working in accordance with SOPs are likely to perform 

more efficiently and safely. The proper layouts of displays and controls in the 

cockpit enhance Flight Crew efficiency while promoting safety. 

FACTORS AFFECTING AIRCREW PERFORMANCE

Although the human element is the most adaptable component of the aviation 

system that component is influenced by many factors which will affect human 

performance such as fatigue, circadian rhythm disturbance, sleep deprivation, 

health and stress. These factors are affected by environmental constraints like 

temperature, noise, humidity, light, vibration, working hours and load. 

FATIGUE - Fatigue may be physiological whenever it reflects inadequate rest, 

as well as a collection of symptoms associated with disturbed or displaced 

biological rhythms. It may also be psychological as a result of emotional stress, 

even when adequate physical rest is taken. Acute fatigues are induced by long 

duty periods or an accumulation of particularly demanding tasks performed in a 

short period of time. Chronic fatigue is the result of cumulative effects of 

fatigue over the longer term. Temperature, humidity, noise, workstation design 

and hypoxia are all contributing factors to fatigue.

CIRCADIAN RHYTHM DISTURBANCE - Human body systems are 

regulated on a 24-hour basis by what is known as the circadian rhythm. This 

cycle is maintained by several agents: day and night, meals, social activities, 

etc. When this cycle is disturbed, it can negatively affect safety and efficiency.

Circadian rhythm disturbance or circadian rhythms is not only expressed as jet 

lag resulting from long-haul flights were many time zones are crossed, but can 

also result from irregular or night scheduled short-haul flights. Each rhythm has 

a peak and a low point during every 24 hour period. 

Symptoms of circadian rhythms include sleep disturbance, disruption of eating 

and elimination habits, lassitude, anxiety and irritability. That will lead to 

slowed reaction, longer decision making times, inaccuracy of memory and 

errors in computation, which will directly affect operational performance and 

safety.
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SLEEP DEPRIVATION - The most common symptom of circadian rhythmic 

is sleep disturbance. Tolerance to sleep disturbance varies between individuals 

and is mainly related to body chemistry and emotional stress factors. In some 

cases sleep disturbance can involve cases of over-all sleep deprivation. When 

that stage is reached it is called Situational Insomnia, i.e. it is the direct result of 

a particular situation. In all cases, reduced sleep will result in fatigue. Some 

people have difficulty sleeping even when living in normal conditions and in 

phase with the circadian rhythm.

 

To overcome problems of sleep disturbance one should adapt a diet close to his 

meal times, learn relaxation techniques, optimise the sleeping environment, 

recognise the adverse effects of drugs and alcohol and be familiar with the 

disturbing effects to circadian rhythmic to regulate his sleep accordingly.

HEALTH – Certain pathological conditions (heart attacks, gastrointestinal 

disorders, etc.) have caused sudden pilot incapacitation and in rare cases have 

contributed to accidents. But such incapacitation is usually easily detectable by 

other crewmembers and taken care of by applying the proper procedures.

The more dangerous type is developed when a reduction in capacity results in a 

partial or subtle incapacitation. Such incapacitation may go undetected, even 

by the person affected, and is usually produced by fatigue, stress, the use of 

some drugs and medicines and certain mild pathological conditions such as 

hypoglycaemia. As a result of such health conditions, human performance 

deteriorates in a manner that is difficult to detect and therefore, has a direct 

impact on flight safety.

Even though aircrew are subjected to regular periodical medical examinations 

to ensure their continuing health, that does not relieve them from the 

responsibility to take all necessary precautions to maintain their physical 

fitness. It hardly needs to be mentioned that fitness will have favourable effects 

on emotions, reduces tension and anxiety and increases resistance to fatigue. 

Factors known to positively influence fitness are exercise, healthy diet and good 

sleep/rest management. Tobacco, alcohol, drugs, stress, fatigue and unbalanced 

diet are all recognised to have damaging effects on health. Finally, it is each 

individual responsibility to arrive at the workplace “fit to fly”.
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STRESS – Stress can be found in many jobs, and the aviation environment is 

particularly rich in potential stresses. Some of these stresses have accompanied 

the aviation 

Stress is also associated with life events, which are independent from the 

aviation system but tightly related to the human element. Such events could be 

sad ones like a family separation, or happy ones like weddings or childbirth. In 

all situations, individual responses to stress may differ from a person to another, 

and any resulting damage should be attributed to the response rather than the 

stress itself.

In an aircrew environment, individuals are encouraged to anticipate, recognise 

and cope with their own stress and perceive and accommodate stress in others, 

thus managing stress to a safe end. Failure to do so will only aggravate the 

stressful situation and might lead to problems.

PERSONALITY VS ATTITUDE

Personality traits and attitudes influence the way we behave and interact with 

others. Personality traits are innate or acquired at a very young age. They are 

deep-rooted, stable and resistant to change. They define a person and classify 

him/her (e.g. ambitious, dominant, aggressive, mean, nice, etc.).

On the contrary, attitudes are learned and enduring tendencies or predispositions to respond in a certain way, the response is the behaviour itself. 

Attitudes are more susceptible to change through training, awareness or 

persuasion.

The initial screening and selection process of aircrew aims at detecting 

undesired personality characteristics in the potential crewmember in order to

avoid problems in the future.

Human Factors training aims at modifying attitudes and behaviour patterns 

through knowledge, persuasion, and illustration of examples revealing the 

impact of attitudes and behaviour on flight safety. That should allow the

aircrew to make rapid decisions on what to do when facing certain situations.
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CREW RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (CRM)

CRM is a practical application of Human Factors. It aims at teaching crew 

members how to use their interpersonal and leadership styles in ways that foster 

crew effectiveness by focusing on the functioning of crew members as a team, 

not only as a collection of technically competent individuals, i.e. it aims at 

making aircrew work in “Synergy” (a combined effect that exceeds the sum of 

individual effects).

When introducing CRM some people might see a threat, since it constitutes a 

‘change’. However, lapses in human performance are a contributing factor in 

the majority of accidents. With nearly two decades of CRM application in the 

aviation community revealing a very positive feedback, we see this ‘change’ as 

strength.

CRM can be approached in many different ways; nevertheless there are some 

essential features that must be addressed: The concept must be understood, 

certain skills must be taught and inter-active group exercises must be 

accomplished.

To understand CRM, one must be aware of certain topics such as synergy - the 

effects of individual behaviour on the team work; the effect of complacency on 

team efforts; the identification and use of all available resources; the statutory 

and regulatory position of the pilot-in-command as team leader and 

commander; the impact of company culture and policies on the individual; the 

interpersonal relationships and their effect on team work.

For a CRM program to be successful it must be embedded in the total training 

program, it must be continuously reinforced and it must become an inseparable 

part of the organisations culture. CRM should thus be instituted as a regular 

part of periodical training and should include practice and feedback exercises 

during training and checkrides.

CRM SKILLS TO BE DEVELOPED INCLUDE:

COMMUNICATION SKILLS – Effective communication is the basis of 

successful teamwork. Barriers to communication are explained, such as 
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cultural difference, rank, age, crew position, and wrong attitude. Aircrews are 

encouraged to overcome such barriers through self-esteem, participation, polite 

assertiveness, legitimate avenue of dissent and proper feedback.

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS – Total awareness of surrounding 

environment is emphasised so is the necessity from the crewmember to 

differentiate between reality and perception of reality, to control distraction, 

enhance monitoring and crosschecking and to recognise and deal with ones or 

others incapacitation, especially when subtle.

PROBLEM SOLVING AND DECISION MAKING – This skill aims at 

developing conflict management within a time constraint. A conflict could be 

immediate or ongoing; it could require a direct response or certain tact to cope 

with it. By developing Aircrew judgement within a certain time frame, we 

develop skills required to bring conflicts to safe ends.

LEADERSHIP – In order for a team to function efficiently it requires a leader. 

Leadership skills derive from authority but depend for their success on the 

understanding of many components such as managerial and supervisory skills 

that can be taught and practised, realising the influence of culture on 

individuals, maintaining an appropriate distance between team members enough 

to avoid complacency without creating barriers, care for one’s professional skill 

and credibility, the ability to hold the responsibility of all crew members and 

the necessity of setting the good example. The improvement of these skills will 

all the team to function more efficiently by developing the leadership skills 

required to achieve a successful and smooth follower in the team.

STRESS MANAGEMENT – Pressure to complete the mission, mental and 

physical fitness to fly, fatigue, social constraints and environmental constraints 

are all part of our daily life and they all contribute in various degrees to stress. 

Stress management is about recognising those elements, dealing with one’s 

stress and help others manage their own. It is only by accepting things that are 

beyond our control, changing things that we can and knowing the difference 

between both that we can safely and efficiently manage stress.

CRITIQUE – Discussion of cases and learning to comment and critique 

actions are both ways to improve one’s knowledge, skills and understanding. 

Review of actual airlines accidents and incidents to create problem-solving 
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dilemmas that participant aircrew should act-out and critique through the use of 

feed-back system will enhance crew member’s awareness of their surrounding 

environment, make them recognise and deal with similar problems and help 

them solve situations that might occur to them.
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Attachment 2

Forms

Planes of Fame Air Museum Safety Report

Planes of Fame Air Museum Flight Operations Incident Report
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PLANES OF FAME AIR MUSEUM SAFETY REPORT

To: Karen Hinton

909-597-3722

Karen.hinton@planesoffame.org

From:

(Optional)

Date:

Instructions: Fill in form, using additional sheets as necessary. Forward the completed form to the Safety 

Officer in an envelope marked “Confidential.” Thank you for your interest in the Safety Program!

Description of the incident or observed hazard: (Provide date, time and location, as applicable. 

Include a detailed and accurate description while being as concise as possible.)

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Recommendations to eliminate, correct or minimize the incident or hazard:

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Safety Officer’s investigation summary:

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Referred to: ______________________

Suspense date: _____________________

Corrective action taken:

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Corrective action completion date: _________________ by: _____________________
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PLANES OF FAME AIR MUSEUM 

FLIGHT OPERATIONS INCIDENT REPORT

To: Karen Hinton

909-597-3722

Karen.hinton@planesoffame.org

From:

(Optional)

Date:

Aircraft:

Instructions: Fill out form using additional sheets as necessary. Forward the completed form to the 

Safety Officer. Thank you for your interest in the Safety Program!

Type of event – check all appropriate responses

( ) Human factor error ( ) Runway/taxiway excursion ( ) Foreign object damage

( ) Altitude deviation ( ) Runway incursion ( ) Severe wake turbulence

( ) Navigational deviation ( ) Severe turbulence ( )Collision hazard

( ) Communication error ( ) Severe icing

( ) Crewmember incapacitation

( ) Aborted takeoff ( ) Other__________________________________________

Weather conditions – check all appropriate responses

( ) IMC ( ) Thunderstorm ( ) Icing

( ) VMC ( ) Turbulence ( ) Crosswind

( ) Precipitation ( ) Windshear ( ) Other _______________

Date/time – check or fill out all appropriate responses

Date:_______________

Time:(Local)

Mode of flight – check all appropriate responses

( ) Ramp ( ) Climb ( ) Descent

( ) Taxi ( ) Cruise ( ) Approach

( ) Takeoff ( ) Holding ( ) Landing

Action taken - check all appropriate responses

( ) Performed emergency procedure ( ) Declared emergency ( ) Followed checklist 

( ) In-flight engine shutdown ( ) Requested crash/rescue ( ) Followed SOP

( ) Requested medical assistance ( ) Diverted from destination ( ) Other ___________

7. Crewmember’s assessment.

Was the above procedure/checklist adequate for this situation? ( ) Yes ( ) No

Was the training adequate for this situation? ( ) Yes ( ) No
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8. Comments or suggestions: