Aviation Safety – The Basics The Philosophy of Safety

Figure 1.1, Cost vs. Benefit

A misperception has been pervasive in aviation regarding where safety fits, in terms of priority, within
the organization. This misperception has evolved into a universally accepted stereotype: in aviation, safety
is the first priority. While socially, ethically, and morally impeccable; the stereotype and the perspective
that it conveys does not hold ground when considered from the perspective that the management of
safety is an organizational process.

All aviation organizations, regardless of their nature, have a business component with production goals
(as shown in Figure 1.1). An Air Traffic Control Facility may have a production goal of 100 aircraft
operations per hour. An airport may have a production goal of 100 operations per hour, using parallel
runways, under IFR conditions. A military organization may have a production goal of bombs-on-target
anywhere in the world in 24 hours or less. Thus, all aviation organizations can be considered business
organizations with production goals. A simple question is then relevant to shed light on the truthfulness,
or lack thereof, of the safety stereotype: what is the fundamental objective of a business organization?
The answer to this question is obvious: to deliver the service for which the organization was created in
the first place, to achieve production objectives and eventually deliver dividends to stakeholders.

Cost vs. Benefit Considerations

Operating a profitable, yet safe airline or service provider requires a constant balancing act between the
need to fulfil production goals (such as departures that are on time) versus safety goals (such as taking
extra time to ensure that a door is properly secured). The aviation workplace is filled with potentially
unsafe conditions which will not all be eliminated; yet, operations must continue.

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