Assessing and managing risk

Test flying by its very nature involves a degree of risk above that which is routinely accepted during normal operations. To ensure that tests are conducted as safely as possible a process of identifying and reducing risk is employed. The aim of this process is to determine what the risks are, decide on the best way to reduce them and then to decide if the residual risk is acceptable.

1.2.2.1 Conducting a hazard analysis

To identify risk areas the programme or flight is divided into sections and the potential dangers considered in each one: this will involve asking the question at each stage ‘What could possibly present a hazard?’ and ‘What would be the possible consequences?’ This procedure relies to a large extent on the experience of the test pilot or FTE, however, a thorough and logical assessment of each phase of flight should lead to the identification of individual risks. It is normal to involve a number of people by calling a review meeting where the group examine each aspect of the flight. Any databases available are also examined to ensure that the lessons learned on previous trials of a similar type are incorporated. On completion of this process a list of Identified Risk Elements (IRE) can be produced for each section of the programme or flight.