A Study on the Observer Training and Implementation for Effective Normal Operation Safety Survey (NOSS)

NOSS is a safety tool that collects safety data by deploying trained observers based on the TEM framework during normal air traffic control (ATC) operations, It provides the strengths and weaknesses in the management of threats and errors of an air traffic control organization, and is defined as a regular safety program that provides the strengths and weaknesses of a control organization in the management of threats and errors, which can be used to set goals for safety improvement, improve the safety programs in the organization, and operate resources efficiently (ICAO, 2008).

TEM refers to a method that promotes safety by clearly identifying and managing threats and errors that may lead to undesired states (MOLIT, 2019). Observers are agents who have completed professional training required for NOSS operations and observe and record normal ATC operations (MOLIT, 2019).

NOSS has ten characteristics that distinguish it from other safety data collection tools, and it is possible to implement the NOSS and acknowledge the quality by complying them. (ICAO, 2008). Efforts to satisfy these characteristics suggested in the NOSS manual must be fully made to ensure that the NOSS is implemented successfully to serve its purpose.

Eleven countries have implemented the NOSS: Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, the United States of America, and the United Arab Emirates.

The NOSS Collaborative, a collaboration organization of NOSS, keeps the observation report data of about 5,000 cases implemented in the above countries. Since the reports are written in English, there are some difficulties in writing and using them, but there are some advantages that the comparison with the treats and error status of other countries is possible.

SMS requires a system that collects data systematically, diagnoses risks, and makes improvements to reduce human errors. NOSS is a safety tool that uses safety data obtained by observing and measuring the human errors of controllers in the normal operation [2]. Safety management is continuously performed, but practical safety management is difficult due to the lack of self-reporting or human factor data. Therefore, the NOSS must be implemented because safety management is possible as recommended by ICAO by identifying data related to human factors existing in the organization.

TEM is used to improve the ATC training, aviation safety and efficiency, NOSS, a TEM-based safety tool, is operated to monitor the normal operation, as one of the safety management systems in the ATC field (ICAO-TEM, 2008). NOSS is an essential tool in the TEM training programs because it measures the TEM quantitatively and observes the management situation and actual condition of threats and errors.

In other words, the implementation of NOSS is required to conduct the TEM training to identify, understand, and respond to threats and errors, which occur most frequently in the ATC organizations but are frequently failed to manage.

In 2017, ICAO published Doc 10056, Manual of ATC CBT and Assessment, which recommends the ATC organizations of the contracting countries to use the CBT required for training the next generation of aviation professionals (NGAP). NOSS analysis data are used in CBT to improve the competency of controllers for performing their duties, which can be effectively trained only when these data capture threats and potential weaknesses. When data are collected and analyzed, potential problems are identified and provided, and this requires the involvement and cooperation of the safety and training department (ICAO, 2017).

To provide safe control by managing threats and errors occurring in the complex environment of flight operations, such competency and resource management are required. Since actual CBT is possible only when the management status and related information are identified, the implementation of NOSS is required.

Air traffic organizations (ATO) aim to reduce errors continuously and are required to reduce the operation errors by analyzing threats and human errors through NOSS data (Bailey, 2010). It is recommended to implement the controller training programs in the CBT format to increase the training efficiency (ICAO, 2017). For this, the narrative about the observation of NOSS plays a very important role.

If there is a detailed description of the observations, it is possible to judge the suitability of the data by reflecting it. and it can be used for improvement. Thus, education and training should be provided as much as possible.

The CBT manual published by ICAO and the NOSS guidelines provided by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) in South Korea require the following training contents for the observers. Experts recommended that sufficient time should be allocated to the training because successful observer education is possible only when the content is sufficiently educated.

Furthermore, since the NOSS is conducted on a every three years, there may be some observers with previous experiences, but new observers appointed as a result of personnel changes are unfamiliar with the NOSS and observer training.

NOSS observers are usually put in after five days of training. In terms of the NOSS and observer training period, the experts recommended that a five-days or longer preliminary training on NOSS should be provided, in addition to the existing five-days curriculum, like the LOSA training. So they can perform the observation work with sufficient knowledge and understanding for the successful operation of NOSS.

The airlines in South Korea that operate the LOSA, a safety improvement tool similar to NOSS, provides Crew Resource Management (CRM) training to teach the basic concept for the TEM theories, including the concept and codes of TEM, which is the basic framework of observation. Nevertheless, reinforcement training on TEM is also provided, judging that there is a lack of experience in TEM codes or specific cases of applying TEM. A Airlines and J Airlines in South Korea who conducted the LOSA conducted the SMS, TEM, and CRM training courses additionally when training the observers before implementing the LOSA. As the observers had sufficient understanding of the TEM theories, the LOSA was successfully operated.

The experts advised that before conducting the NOSS, each organization should clearly establish the goals of NOSS and provide the motivation for the implementation of NOSS to select the period of NOSS and facilitate proper observations. Furthermore, there was an opinion that the observers must be trained on goals and needs in the observation training because the NOSS can be implemented successfully as intended.

NOSS requires the voluntary participation to obtain observations closely matching the actual situations and conditions. NOSS does not aim at improving or correcting individuals to increase the participants’ interest and confidence in NOSS. It should be publicized that NOSS aims at system-based safety improvement and is non-disciplinary to encourage the voluntary participation of organization members.

Airlines sometimes think that conducting the NOSS every three years adds a burden on work in the relevant departments and personnel or is an unnecessary effort. However, efforts have been made to eliminate unnecessary misunderstandings for these, and they have helped the implementation of NOSS. As such, positive expected benefits of NOSS or practical feedback on specific improvements through NOSS will help improve the perception of the organization members.

It is difficult to observe the outside objectively because it consists only of observers belonging to the same organization.

When the NOSS is conducted, it is difficult to observe the outside objectively because it consists only of observers belonging to the same organization. Furthermore, if the observation period is selected differently among the organizations in accordance with the goals of each organization, rather than having a uniform observation period, the observation results of NOSS will be more likely in line with the safety goals.

Since the NOSS has different characteristics from conventional safety tools, it is essential to operate a committee as a company-wide SMS tool including experts. NOSS is not a short-term safety management tool. A safety improvement committee should be organized on a mid-to-long-term basis to proceed with the safety improvement.