Perform a brief research and establish the current strategic positioning regarding aviation safety in Europe. Please, use some of the analytical frameworks you studied. Draw your own conclusions.
1. The European Plan for Aviation Safety EPAS 2019 – 2023
2. EASA Annual Safety Review 2021
EASA is Europe´s aviation safety authority/regulator and its main purpose is to maintaining, enhancing and promoting the safety of civil aviation in Europe, with particular emphasis on preventing aviation accidents and incidents.
The first document contains a high level 5-year strategic plan to address the topical issues of air transport safety in Europe. The second document is a comprehensive review of aviation safety issues occurred in Europe in 2021. One complements the other.
By studying this case, students will learn how strategic thinking and management concepts can be applied to aviation safety in a regional context.
3 Key Points
Please, read carefully the provided two documents. You must prepare an essay with your own views, addressing the following key points:
1) Strategic Position and Critical Analysis
a) Perform a brief research and establish the current strategic positioning regarding aviation safety in Europe. Please, use some of the analytical frameworks you studied. Draw your own conclusions.
b) In your opinion, does the EASA strategic plan/goals adequately addresses the deficiencies highlighted in the “EASA Annual Review 2021”? Justify.
c) How good is the highlighted strategy? In your opinion, does the strategic plan fall short of expectations or ambitions? What other measures/ initiatives should have been included in there? Explain and justify.
2) Strategic choices & Best Practices
a) Perform a brief additional research on ICAO, IATA, FAA plus a few other aviation leading nations regarding guidelines, best practices and recommendations to be followed in order to produce effective aviation safety strategies. Highlight your findings.
b) In your opinion, does the EASA’s EPAS adhere to such guidelines and industry best practices? Justify.
4 Learning Objectives
These cases are an interesting opportunity for students to further explore and acquire extra knowledge on critical analysis, strategic thinking and strategic implementation in the context of aviation safety.
Europe has a rich aviation history. Since the first powered flight in Europe by the Wright brothers, the continent has been at the forefront of aviation innovation and development. In more recent times, European regulators have taken a leading role in ensuring that aviation safety standards are maintained across the globe.
This has been most recently demonstrated by the release of the European Aviation Safety Strategy (EASS).
The EASS was released in 2015 in response to the growing global aviation industry and the need for a coordinated approach to safety. The strategy sets out a number of ambitious goals, including reducing the overall accident rate by 80% by 2025.
To achieve this, the EASS outlines a number of key initiatives that need to be implemented. These include:
-Improving data sharing and analysis between European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and national authorities
-Developing new technologies to improve safety
-Enhancing human factors training for all aviation personnel
-Creating a culture of safety across Europe’s aviation industry.
While the EASS is still in its early stages, it is clear that it has the potential to make a significant impact on aviation safety in Europe and beyond. With the right level of commitment from all stakeholders, there is no reason why the goals of the EASS cannot be achieved.
Looking to the future, it is clear that Europe will continue to play a leading role in setting global aviation safety standards. The continent’s rich history of innovation and its strong commitment to safety mean that it is well-positioned to meet the challenges of the future head-on. Thanks to initiatives like the EASS, Europe’s aviation industry is poised for continued success in the years ahead.