GEP0370

Air Traffic Management Systems

Twelfth Lesson- crisis management in ATM

Cengiz Mesut BÜKEÇ

PhD, aviation management
reminder
• have I started recording ?

• did you get ready with pens and papers ?

Crisis: a phenomenon?
• dimensions of the term “crisis”
Remember: definition of crisis
• crises are
chains of events that have severe consequences
damaging;
• human lives,
• property,
• the environment
or any combination of the above
Remember: about a crisis
crisis is a critical event or point of decision which,
if not handled in an appropriate and timely manner
(or if not handled at all),
may turn into a disaster or catastrophe.
 understanding crisis
• a triggering event, which is so significant that
it challenges the existing structure, routine operations or survival
of the organization
• high threat, short decision time and an element of surprise and urgency
• a perception of an inability to cope…
• a turning point
• characterized by fluid, unstable, dynamic situation
 understanding what exactly crisis is

we treat
any event that can, within a short period of time,
harm your institution’s constituents, its facilities, its finances or its reputation
as a crisis.
Advice:
you can find definitions of crisis
If you search for “crisis” in different dictionaries of
sociology, philosophy or psychology?
 crisis management
Crisis management is
the art of making decisions
to head off or mitigate the effects of such an event,
often while the event itself is unfolding.

This often means

making decisions about your institution’s future
while you are under stress and while you lack key pieces of information.
 crisis management
There is a crisis when a system is confronted with an event, generally unexpected,
of which the consequences are going to develop in time
with a dynamic
which can be

very fast,
producing significant risks
which exceed the preexisting resources in terms of procedures of actions
and actors”
 dimensions of crisis
DIMENSION 1: triggering event & uncertainty about evolution

• surprise, threat, turning point

• 2 possible dynamic of crisis’ occurrence

• abrupt crisis (catastrophes)

• cumulative crisis (ruptures)

• unpredictable

• access to information, planning, …

 dimensions of crisis
DIMENSION 2: emergency/ temporal constraints
• « simple » emergency
• crisis + emergency
 dimensions of crisis
DIMENSION 3: control
• perceived lost of control
• before and during crisis
• on consequences but also on causes
• « simple » emergency
• crisis + emergency
• resources overtaking
• procedures’ level
• distinctions between emergency, crisis, catastrophe & disaster
• operator’s level
• processing requirements exceed the individual operator capacity
• operators’ organization level
• unpredicted situations → non adapted organizations
 dimensions of crisis
DIMENSION 4: complexity
• chaotic dynamic
• multiple parameters
• different temporal dynamics
• changing high level’s goals
 dimensions of crisis
DIMENSION 5: collective dimension
• different levels
• individual and team (command and control team)
• collective (CC + fields teams)
• organizational
• socio-cultural
• intra/inter organization
• distributed knowledge and competences
• structure of organizational hierarchy and operational hierarchy relationships
• more or less rigid
• communications flows
 dimensions of crisis
DIMENSION 6: experience
• professional vs novices or mix
• different knowledge, competences,….
• asymetry, communication fragmentation, misunterstanding….
Crisis: a phenomenon?
• sources and phases of
crisis in aviation
sources of crisis in aviation
• Within the context of ATM we observe
the sources of crisis in aviation as:
• financial reasons

• safety problems
• security problems

• natural disasters

• public relations
REMEMBER: phases of the crisis
phases of crisis management:
• phase-1: pre-alert
• phase-2: disruption
information is received on an event,
• phase-3: crisis which may lead to a possible major disruption,
• phase-4: recovery requiring activation of the crisis management arrangements
phases of the crisis
phases of crisis management:
• phase-1: pre-alert
• phase-2: disruption
Major disruption that impacts
• phase-3: crisis the operations and
• phase-4: recovery which may escalate to a crisis
phases of the crisis
phases of crisis management:
• phase-1: pre-alert
• phase-2: disruption
State of inability operate at required level
• phase-3: crisis resulting in a major loss of capacity,
or a major imbalance between capacity and demand,
• phase-4: recovery or a major failure in the information flow
following an unusual and unforeseen situation
phases of the crisis
phases of crisis management:
• phase-1: pre-alert
• phase-2: disruption
• phase-3: crisis the operation will go back to normal,
• phase-4: recovery and an evaluation of the impact will be finalised
phases of the crisis:
organizational respond
phases of crisis management:
• phase-1: pre-alert
• phase-2: disruption
with risk assessment
• phase-3: crisis
• phase-4: recovery with early warning systems

with establishing mechanisms and training our personel

with legislation supported by allocation of resources

with a plan
phases of the crisis:
organizational respond
phases of crisis management:
• phase-1: pre-alert
• phase-2: disruption
with information gathering
• phase-3: crisis
• phase-4: recovery with communicating

with decision making

phases of the crisis:
organizational respond
phases of crisis management:
• phase-1: pre-alert
• phase-2: disruption
with determining lessons learned
• phase-3: crisis
• phase-4: recovery with making an action plan
phases of a crisis

• while watching the video:

note down phases and relevant respond of the team ?
• phase-1: pre-alert → preparedness
• phase-2: disruption → info management, communication and giving decision
• phase-3: crisis → info management, communication and giving decision
• phase-4: recovery → take lessons, renew the plan
phases of the crisis:
organizational respond

Madagaskar accident – Choosing Air Penguin

write your scenario untill 11 o'clock
• write a scenario for a crisis situation in ATM
• note the category
• note the triggering event
• note the responsible people for handling the situation
• give an example for «failed public relation»

10/28
phases of the crisis
phases of crisis management:
• phase-1: pre-alert
• phase-2: disruption
with information gathering
• phase-3: crisis
• phase-4: recovery with communicating

with decision making

PHASE II & III
for crisis management: disruption & crisis
in order to gather information during the crisis

• the availability of accurate, timely and consistent data

is critical to effective crisis management.
PHASE II & III
for crisis management: disruption & crisis
availability of accurate, timely and consistent data

• to this effect
procedures shall be established
in order to allow for the appropriate flow of information
relating to the crisis from all possible sources
to sustain the crisis management activities.
PHASE II & III
for crisis management: disruption & crisis
information may be gathered from

• industry/ATM stakeholders
• knowledge centres
• subject matter experts
PHASE II & III
for crisis management: disruption & crisis
in order to communicate during the crisis
• a good communication plan must be in use
PHASE II & III
for crisis management: disruption & crisis
communication in support of crisis management
should be established at

• crisis management operational level

• general public level
PHASE II & III
for crisis management: disruption & crisis
to manage communication during a crisis

• firstly → essential information should take the priority

• as crisis develops → only essential information should flow
PHASE II & III
for crisis management: disruption & crisis
communication in support of crisis management

• harmonised information dissemination needs to be ensured

PHASE II & III
for crisis management: disruption & crisis
giving decisions during the crisis

aviators are expected to have two perspectives at a time:

• national → proper coordination

• international → harmonised information dissemination

PHASE II & III
for crisis management: disruption & crisis
national perspective

• national crisis management arrangements

should ensure that
proper coordination of (mitigating) measures can be carried out
among the relevant stakeholders
PHASE II & III
for crisis management: disruption & crisis
national perspective

• appropriate mechanisms should be established at a national level

in support of decision making involving the State Focal Point.
• this is relevant in establishing an appropriate response,
such as:
• impact assessments,
• relevant legal framework information,
• operational data gathering,
• activation of contingency plans, etc.
PHASE II & III
for crisis management: disruption & crisis
international perspective (harmonisation)

• in times of crisis, when impact of the network involves several states,

an appropriate coordination mechanism should be established
to facilitate
information exchange
involving the relevant State Focal Points.
PHASE II & III
for crisis management: disruption & crisis
international perspective (harmonisation)

• such an appropriate coordination mechanism

will assist states in the crisis response measures,
and provide them
with relevant information to ensure harmonised decision making
PHASE II & III
for crisis management: disruption & crisis

Tenerife accident – crash of the century on March 27, 1977

PHASE II & III
for crisis management: disruption & crisis

• while watching the second video for the same disaster:

note down decisions and relevant information requirements ?

• When has the crisis Phase-II & Phase III started/ended ?

• What is the reason and what are the root reasons behind this crisis ?
PHASE II & III
for crisis management: disruption & crisis

Tenerife accident – crash of the century on March 27, 1977

break time

10/45
phases of the crisis
phases of crisis management:
• phase-1: pre-alert
• phase-2: disruption
with risk assessment
• phase-3: crisis
• phase-4: recovery with early warning systems

with establishing mechanisms and training our personel

with legislation supported by allocation of resources

with a plan
phases of the crisis
phases of crisis management:
• phase-1: pre-alert
• phase-2: disruption
with information gathering
• phase-3: crisis
• phase-4: recovery with communicating

with decision making

phases of the crisis
phases of crisis management:
• phase-1: pre-alert
• phase-2: disruption
with determining lessons learned
• phase-3: crisis
• phase-4: recovery with making an action plan
PHASE IV
for crisis management: recovery
• making an action plan for the crisis

• meeting after the crisis

• only top managers and crisis players are involved
Step-1 • take notes about what has happened:
• detect harm of the crisis
• detect main possible reasons
hot wash • decide on what to do to get further information about the
consequences of the crisis
• PR declaration to media/stakeholders
PHASE IV
for crisis management: recovery
• making an action plan for the crisis

• meeting to determine the reasons

Step-2 • all line managers are involved
• make the final list of the harms of the crisis
lessons • make a group activity:
• to determine root reasons of each harm
learnt • to find preventive solutions for each
 PHASE IV
for crisis management: recovery
• making an action plan for the crisis

Step-3 • make risk analysis for

• the root reasons of each possible reason
• relevant dormant conditions in the organisation
mid-term • make a to-do-list for each department for recovery/corrections
recovery • define and follow milestones for recovery
• monitor current situation in the check-lists of the internal audits
 PHASE IV
for crisis management: recovery
• making an action plan for the crisis

Step-3 • update crisis plan

i.a.w.
lessons learnt and analysis results,
mid-term add necessary contingencies.
recovery
 PHASE IV
for crisis management: recovery
• making an action plan for the crisis

• update crisis plan with decide

Step-3
• communication methods
Mid-term • communication means
gather info
• communication plan
recovery
communicate
 PHASE IV
for crisis management: recovery
• making an action plan for the crisis

Step-4 • update and heal checklists/rules – at individual level

• update procedures – at organisational level
• recommend changes – national/international level
Long-term
recovery

industry/ATM stakeholders
knowledge centres
subject matter experts
PHASE IV
for crisis management: recovery
• making exercises and trainings for the crisis

• well trained airmen could

overcome the difficulties
during a crisis
better
PHASE IV
for crisis management: recovery
• making exercises and trainings for the crisis

• what should

a crisis management training for aviators include

?
Final words
I wish you had a very successful semester!
<3

• Do not hesitate to contact with me

anytime you need assistance
via:
• cengizmesut.bukec@rc.bau.edu.tr
• Office on the terrace floor of BAU OEO building