2009-11-18 00:13:10
Dubai, 17 Nov. 2009 (WAM) - Six lecturers addressed participants during the second day of the 5th Annual Middle East Air Forces Coalition Safety Conference being held at The Palace Hotel in Dubai. Of the six, two were from the UAE Air Force and Air Defence, one each form Morocco and the Royal Jordanian Air Force, while two were from the US Air Force.

From the Emirates side, one lecturer took up the issue of International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue. He said that IMSAR, ICAO and IMO are keen on offering search and rescue services for those who need it worldwide, weather traveling by air or sea. The international organization makes offering help an obligation for all countries that signed the International Convention for saving lives overseas.

The other UAE speaker talked about human factors in aircraft accidents. He noted stress as one of the contributing factors behind human errors. He also mentioned self imposed stress, defining it as the sum of biological reactions to adverse stimuli, be they physical, mental or emotional.

From the Moroccan side, the lecturer talked about civil and military cooperation in air safety and security. The Jordanian representative talked about air mishaps and the history of the RJAF. He said flight safety has been a cause for concern since the inception of the Jordanian Air Force in 1955. He also mentioned what measures they have taken to address these issues.

The American side also discussed similar issues. Talking about military flight operations and quality assurance, the lecturer stated objectives such as Air Force MFOQA Platforms, acquiring data, analysis process, benefits and successes. He also talked about the risk management wheel, current MFOQA implementation and gave examples by mentioning different aircraft. He concluded that MFOQA can only prevent mishaps if it provides actionable information to the leadership in a timely manner.

Under the title, Heat, Stress and Potential Correlation on Mishaps in the CENTCOM theatre of operations, another lecturer from USAF proposed some objectives: Existing studies on effects of heat stress, heat stress mitigation, CENTCOM climatology and CENTCOM data findings. He also discussed the potential association of the effects of heat stress and dehydration on human performance and the potential increase in ground and aviation mishaps.

WAM/MAB