The European Community

SAFA Programme
Eduard CIOFU
SAFA Coordination Manager
9 February 2012

Content
General Introduction
Background of the SAFA Programme
Principles

Legal Framework of the SAFA Programme

Stakeholders
Participating States
SAFA Stakeholders
Responsibilities of EASA and Participating States

SAFA Ramp Inspections

General Process
Developments

Information Exchange & Analysis

SAFA Database
Data analysis

Questions & Answers

2

General introduction

09/02/2012

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Background SAFA Programme

Concern ICAO Standards not fully
applied
Continuous growth in air transport,
same trend in accidents?
ICAO and FAA actions

Background SAFA Programme

European initiative
(European Civil Aviation Conference ECAC)
Initial discussion 1994/1995
June 1996: adoption of SAFA programme
by ECAC DGCA meeting.

Principles SAFA Programme

Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft
Safety
internal: crew and passengers
external: airspace and in vicinity of
airports

Ramp inspections by Participating

States
Foreign/Third Country Aircraft
Executed by 35/42 ECAC Member
States
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Principles SAFA Programme

Voluntary basis until April 2006
Directive 2004/36/CE (safety of third
country aircraft using Community
airports) to be implemented by EU MS
before 30 April 2006

Principles SAFA Programme

Linked to ICAO
compliance with ICAO (regional)
Standards
complementary to ICAO USOA
Programme

Bottom-up approach
General Methodology
common procedures (inspection,
reporting, classification, follow-up)
centralised database
9

Principles SAFA Programme

ICAO

European
Commission
Analysis

NAA
EASA

Operator(s)

Reports

Aircraft

Member
States
10

Legal Framework

11

Legal Framework
Directive 2004/36/CE (SAFA Directive)
Scope (Article 1):
The SAFA Directive applies to
All A/C involved in commercial operation
All A/C over 5700 KG involved in noncommercial OPS
Helicopter operation

The SAFA Directive does not apply to

State Aircraft

This SAFA Directive may be applied to

Non-commercial <5700KG
EU aircraft
12

Legal Framework
Commission Regulation 768/2006
Collection/exchange

requirements
Tasks for Member States and EASA

Commission Directive 2008/49

Amending Annex II of the SAFA Directive
Core elements of ramp inspection
procedures
Guidance material

Commission Regulation 351/2008

Prioritisation of ramp inspections
13

Legal Framework
Working Arrangements:
SAFA Directive: encourage the
participation of other States
Concluded by EASA with non-EU States
Participation in the SAFA Programme
and access to the SAFA Database
15 Working Arrangements concluded
Cooperation with states outside Europe
is explored
14

Legal Framework

SAFA
Directive

Non-EU MS

CR 768/2006

EC

EASA

Working
Arrangements

EU MS

15

Member/Participating States

Participating
ECAC
States
(42)
(42)

Albania

Armenia

Croatia

FYROM

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Moldova

Monaco

Turkey

Serbia

Azerbaijan

Ukraine

Georgia

Norway

EASA
(27+3+1)
EU
(27)

Iceland

Switzerland

Estonia

Austria

Belgium

Cyprus

Latvia

Czech Rep.

Denmark

Finland

Lithuania

France

Germany

Greece

Bulgaria

Hungary

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

Malta

Netherlands

Poland

Slovak Rep.

Slovenia

Portugal

Sweden

United Kingdom

Spain

Romania

16

(Lichtenstein)

SAFA Programme Geographical Scope

17

Stakeholders

18

SAFA Stakeholders
Roles and Responsibilities
EU Commission
Air Safety Committee (ASC)
European SAFA Steering
Expert Group (ESSG)
EU Member States
Non-EU States
EUROCONTROL
EASA

Decisional
Advisory to EC (Policy)
Advisory to EC (Technical)
Executive
Executive
Support (alerting, traffic
data)
Database management,
analysis, procedures,
training programme,
annual report
19

SAFA Stakeholders
Roles and Responsibilities
Operators

Take corrective actions /

draft corrective action plan

Oversight authorities

If requested by inspecting
State, confirm satisfaction
with corrective actions

20

EASAs responsibilities
Responsibilities stemming from:
Commission Regulation 768
(Implementing Directive 2004/36/CE as regards
the collection and exchange of information on
the safety of aircraft using Community airports
and the management of the information system)

Working Arrangements
between EASA and a State on the collection and
exchange of information on the safety of aircraft
using Community airports and the airports of
that State
21

EASAs responsibilities

(Continued)

Commission Regulation 768:

EASA shall manage and operate tools and
procedures for the collection and exchange
of information
Management tasks
Collect data from Member States
Develop, maintain centralised Database
Updating of the centralised Database
Analyse the data
Advise the EU COM and Member States
Liaise with others
22

EASAs responsibilities

(Continued)

Commission Regulation 768

(Contd):

Submit Ramp Inspection Procedures

Develop training programmes and foster
organisation and implementation
Facilitate and coordinate and inspector
exchange programme (on-the-job training
in other state)
Prepare yearly a report

23

EASAs responsibilities

(Continued)

Working Arrangements:

Instruction for software compatibility

Collect/store data
Guarantee data security
Provide access to the centralised database
Analyses of State of Registry data
Provide yearly report
Provide Manual/Procedures, training
programmes

24

State responsibilities
Directive 2004/36/EC:
To collect important safety information
To inspect any aircraft suspected of
non-compliance to intnl standards
To exchange information with other
SAFA states
To protect such exchanged info
To ground aircraft when necessary

25

State responsibilities

(Continued)

Commission Regulation 768/2006:

Enter reports in centralised Database
without delay
Communicate to EASA any useful info
for the application and fulfilment of the
SAFA Directive (2004/36/CE)
To enable EASA to perform its tasks

26

SAFA Ramp Inspections

27

SAFA Process
Inspectors documents

SAFA Ramp Checks

SAFA Checklist
Instructions in
RI procedure

Findings

Categorise Findings

Follow-up actions
28

SAFA Checklist

General Information
inspection (54 items)
A. Flight Deck (24)
B. Safety/Cabin (14)
C. Aircraft Condition (12)
D. Cargo (3)
E. General (1)

Findings, actions and remarks

29

Inspection instructions

Detailed guidance for each inspection item

What and how to inspect
Reference to relevant standards as part of
the pre-described findings
Chicago Convention
The Annexes
Doc. 7030 Regional Supplementary Procedures
Manufacturers standards

30

Inspection instructions (App.1)

31

SAFA Process
Inspectors documents

SAFA Ramp Checks

SAFA Checklist
Instructions in
RI procedure

Findings

Categorise Findings

Follow-up actions
32

Pre-described
findings

SAFA finding
Deviation from ICAO Annexes or
manufacturers standards
Ramp Inspection procedure introduced
some 400 pre-described findings (PDF)
If no suitable PDF is available, the
inspector may create its own User
Described Finding (UDF)

33

Pre-Described Findings
Advantages:
Harmonisation and Standardisation
Common & clear descriptions
No language difficulties
Standardised categorisation
Linked to a (ICAO) standard
More clear, less invalid findings

34

SAFA Finding Categories

Three categories:
cat. 1, minor influence on safety
cat. 2, significant influence on safety
cat. 3, major influence on safety
Pre-determined for PDF
In case of UDF, inspector selects category
after comparison with similar findings

35

Pre-described findings

36

Pre-described findings

37

Pre-described findings

38

Pre-described findings

39

SAFA Process
Inspectors documents

SAFA Ramp Checks

SAFA Checklist
Instructions in
RI procedure

Findings

Pre-described
findings

Categorise Findings
CD 2008/49
+ RI procedure

Follow-up actions
40

Follow-up actions
Class 1
Information to the PIC
at every inspection
Proof of inspection

41

Follow-up actions

(Contd)

Class 2
Class 1 actions, and in addition:
Letter to operator (request for
corrective actions)
Letter to the Authority (informative,
possibly asking for involvement)

42

Follow-up actions

(Contd)

Class 3
Class 1 and 2 actions, and in
addition:
Aircraft may only depart after:
restrictions have been imposed (3a)
Corrective actions have been taken (3b)

If no appropriate actions are taken:

Aircraft may be grounded (3c)
Full or partial ban may be imposed (3d)
43

Developments
Data quality improvement:
At NAA level
use of moderators (quality control)
At Agency level
Quality review (general inspection data
and findings)
Short term quality improvement by
corrections
Long term improvement by increased
standardisation and harmonisation

44

Developments (contd)
CR 351/2008: Qualitative Prioritisation

List of operators to focus inspections on

List based on (amongst other aspects):
EASA analysis
Community list

Monitoring tool in SAFA database

Increased number of inspections should
confirm either:
Safety deficiencies
Normal or improved safety performance
45

Developments (contd)
CD 2008/49 Inspection procedures

SAFA Inspectors Qualification

Eligibility
Education and/or Knowledge
Inspection privileges

Mandatory SAFA Training

Initial training (theoretical/practical)
provided by evaluated Training
organisations
On the job training by Senior Inspectors

Maintain validity of qualification

minimum number of inspections per year
recurrent training
46

Developments (contd)
CD 2008/49 Inspection procedures

Report inclusion time 15 working days

Mandatory finding follow-up actions
Proof of inspection
Handover to crew
Category of finding not mandatory
Signature for receipt (not for agreement!)

47

Developments (contd)

48

Developments (contd)

49

Developments (contd)
CD 2008/49 Inspection procedures

SAFA Standardisation visits

Standardisation Audits on States

Guidance material
On Qualification of Inspectors
Ramp Inspection procedure
Includes revised pre-described findings

Both are published on the website for

maximum transparency

50

Developments (contd)
SAFA Inspector Exchange Programme
Important harmonisation tool
EASA facilitates exchange schedule
Especially beneficial for:
States implementing the Programme
States planning restructuring measures
New inspectors

51

Developments (contd)
Working Arrangements side letters
Extending existing SAFA WAs
Signed in 2008 by all non-EU states
Agreement to implement CD 2008/49
New procedures
Pre-described findings
Standardisation audits

52

Future developments
Implementing Rules for Ramp
Inspections
Based on Article 10.2 of EASAs Basic
Regulation 216/2008:
Member States shall () conduct
investigations, including ramp inspections
()

53

Future developments
Implementing Rules
New elements:
Mandatory inspections on EU operators
Use of EU standards for EU operators
Quantitative prioritisation
minimum number of points per State
Extra points for:
Priority inspections
Remote airports
Odd hours
Rarely inspected operators
54

Information exchange &

analysis

55

Centralised SAFA database

Used for Exchange of information
Web based application
Storage of Ramp Inspection Reports
Access for each Participating State
inclusion of reports
retrieve data

Exchange of information
Stored information is confidential
EASA does not own the data!
56

Yearly number of inspections

12000

10000

8000

6000

4000

2000

0
1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003
57

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2010

The new SAFA Database

Launched on 22 September 2011
All data (1996-2011) migrated in the new DB
New features:
Improved input interface

58

The new SAFA Database

New features:
Follow-up support (close/discard/reopen)
Storage of digital files (evidence
material)
New user management
Enhanced querying capabilities
Analytical tools
Better handling of Standard Reports
(passive collection system)
59

The new SAFA Database

60

61

The new SAFA Database

New features:
Access for non-SAFA NAAs
Access for operators
Forum
Library

62

The new SAFA Database

Operator access (SAFA PSs):
Registration > Verification > Approval
(user)

(user)

(Nat. DB Coord.)

Operator access (non-SAFA PSs):

Registration > Verification > Validation > Approval
(user)

(user)

(Nat. DB Coord.)

EASA

63

SAFA Regular Analysis

Ratio: (SAFA/Safety) Performance Index
Weighting scheme: cat.1=0.25; cat.2=1; cat.3=2
Calculated for each airframe, then:
Aggregated for operators
Aggregated for states

Period Considered: 12 months

Structure the inspected population:
>11,000 Reports (> 30.000 reports 3 years)
>6,000 Aircraft registrations ( 200 a/c types)
>1,000 operators
130 states and territories

64

SAFA Analysis
Data Analysis Tool:
Operator Ratio:
Time period considered: 12 months
Weighting factor (cat. 3, cat. 2, cat. 1)

Trend
Comparison with indicators for previous 12
months periods (T-4 months, T-8 months, T12 months)
++ (sharply increasing), + (increasing), 0
(stable), - (decreasing), -- (sharply
decreasing)
65

SAFA Analysis
Trend calculation
T-24

T-20

T-16

T-12

T-8

T-4

Operator Ratio 1
Operator Ratio 2

<Short trend >

Operator Ratio 3
Operator Ratio 4

<

Long trend

>

66

SAFA Analysis
Analysis every 4 months
Preceded by a quality review
Attachment 2: Operator list sorted
on ratio
Approximate 600 operators
Min. 3 inspections during previous 12
month
Automated, numerical analysis
To structure the population
Not a direct safety level ranking list!
67

Data Analysis
Operator list sorted on ratio
Operator

Number of
Inspections

No. of aircraft
inspected

Number of
Findings

Ratio

Trend

(cat.1-cat.2-cat.3)
ABC
Airways

26

117

9.71
++

(61-39-17)
DEF
Airlines

22

103

4.18

1.16

(59-32-12)
XYZ Air

31

74
(49-21-4)

68

69

SAFA Analysis
In-depth analysis
Manual analysis by EASA and 6 experts from
Member States
Approximate 60 operators determined by:
Previous analysis, or
A SAFA ratio of more than 2
having more than 6 inspections

Advises to member states and/or EC:

Safety concern
Focused Inspections
Significant concern
Request corrective actions
Major safety concern
Start investigations
Sustained improvement
stop Focused insp.
70

EASA Contacts
SAFA Coordination
safa@easa.europa.eu

www.easa.europa.eu

71

Questions?

72