Three recent incidents got me thinking about how we—as bystanders, coworkers or participants—react to developing situations in aviation. In two of these events, there is no detailed investigation, so the purpose of this article is to start a conversation about how we should respond—and even if we should respond—when we see what could be dangerous situations developing that we’re not directly responsible for. In each of these cases, I believe more could have been done by others to avert a tragedy in one case and, in the others, to prevent a bad situation from developing or getting worse.
The three incidents I am referring to are the Air Canada flight that came close to landing on a taxiway in San Francisco with other jetliners awaiting takeoff; the United Airlines flight where a ticketed toddler—over the age of two—was forced to fly as a lap child; and the death of a tourist in Saint Martin from jet blast. Each of these incidents involved different groups of people who could have intervened or perhaps acted more forcefully as the events unfolded. Maybe talking about alternative ways these events could have played out will make a difference if we are faced with similar situations in the future.
With more than 40 years experience in the aviation industry, The Honorable John Goglia, was the first and only Airframe and Powerplant mechanic to receive a presidential appointment to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). He served from August 1995 to June 2004.
As a Board Member, Mr. Goglia distinguished himself in numerous areas of transportation safety. In particular, he was instrumental in raising awareness of airport safety issues, including the importance of airport crash fire and rescue operations and the dangers of wildlife at airports. He played a key role in focusing international attention on the increasing significance of aircraft maintenance in aviation accidents. He pressed, successfully, for greater integration of civilian and military safety information, becoming a featured speaker at national aviation symposiums attended by military leaders and major defense contractors. He is a leading proponent of airplane child safety seats.
Prior to becoming a Board Member, Mr. Goglia held numerous positions in the airline industry. He started as a mechanic for United Airlines and eventually joined Allegheny, which became USAir. Additionally, he was involved for more than 20 years as a union flight safety representative on accident investigation teams. There, he developed a safety program for his union, the International Association of Machinists, and was its representative for NTSB investigations. For twelve years, he operated his own aircraft service company.
Numerous prestigious groups have recognized Mr. Goglia’s contributions to aviation safety. Aviation Week & Space Technology awarded him a coveted 2004 Laurel for his outstanding service as an NTSB Board member. The Society of Automotive Engineers presented him with the Aerospace Chair Award for outstanding leadership in 2003 and the Marvin Whitlock Award for outstanding management accomplishment in 2002.
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