Of the seven aviation industry leaders assembled during a panel session at Wednesday’s FAA Safety Summit, only Regional Airline Association president Faye Malarkey Black ventured to break the pregnant pause after former NTSB chairman Robert Sumwalt asked for opinions regarding the reasons for the recent spate of runway incursions in the U.S. Black pointed to an increased pace of change in the industry as one factor, noting the importance of vigilance and the consistent application of tools such as safety management systems.
“I think what we're seeing now, what we're all aware of, and part of the reason we're here is…the environment is changing,” she said. “And it's a good time to talk about the tools of safety and how we can make sure that we stay ahead of those changes. We don't just keep up, we stay two steps ahead and we see that that pace of change is accelerating…Partnership is going to be really, really important as we look at new entrants coming in and new technology. As that shifts, so does the risk associated with it. We ought to be not just talking about the incidents right now, but the incidents that we might be seeing tomorrow with new entrants coming in.”
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