AVIATION safety has been described as a shared responsibility which requires cooperation, collaboration and inclusiveness among stakeholders.
Emphasising this at a seminar with the theme ‘Aviation’s Key challenges and Best Practices’, organised by Indigenes of Akwa-Ibom and Cross River states in the aviation industry under the aegis of Akwacross Aviation Professionals Association (AAPA), the keynote speaker, Reverend Felix Agbonlahor, stressed the importance of procedures and other critical components as important to aviation safety
According to Agbonlahor: “Ensuring the highest safety standards in aviation demands a multifaceted approach, encompassing expertise in accident prevention, emergency preparedness, maintenance, best practices, regulatory adherence, human factor awareness among others.
“Analyzing real-world incidents and accidents is also of great value to aviation professionals as it can assist them to glean vital lessons, apply preventive strategies and mitigate risks.
“Through ongoing enhancements to safety protocols and a steadfast commitment to compliance, air travel can persist as a dependable and secure mode of transportation for millions globally.
“There should be collaboration and inclusiveness of all regulatory bodies, aircraft manufacturers, airline operators, air traffic control and management, pilots and crew members, maintenance personnel, airport authorities among others.
“All these bodies utilising the safety components highlighted, should collaborate to ensure safety. Furthermore to ensure safety; accident prevention, passenger protection, operational efficiency and public confidence should be considered”..
Agbonlahor, while acknowledging that though accidents are inevitable, argued that if safety procedures are adhered to, it will help to limit accidents occurrences.
Earlier, President of Akwacross Aviation Professionals Association (AAPA), Mr Ekip Eso, said part of the vision of the association is to ensure that members are equipped with industry knowledge through continuous engagements and organisation of public lectures and seminars on topical, sensitive and aviation safety critical issues.
Explaining that safety was the foundation upon which the aviation industry is built, Eso declared: “It is the cornerstone of trust, the backbone of our operations, and the key to our success. The association, built on the foundation of collaboration, innovation, and progress has, within a short period recorded tremendous achievements in line with its visions.”
According to him, since safety is a continuous journey, not a destination and it cannot be slaughtered on the altar of ignorance and complacency.
His words: “Safety is the foundation upon which our industry is built. It is the cornerstone of trust, the backbone of our operations, and the key to our success”.
Akwacross Aviation Professionals Association was founded in March 2022 and duly registered as a legal entity on November 30 of the same year.
Indigenes of the two states of Akwa-Ibom and Cross River states in the aviation industry were therefore urged to come together to lift and build the association as a tool for giving back to the society, privileges and opportunities enjoyed in the aviation industry.
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