Ex- DCA director highlights strategies for safer skies with data, technology and collaboration

SHAH ALAM - Detailed investigations and technological advancements are vital in improving aviation safety.

Former Department of Civil Aviation Malaysia (DCA) flight operations director Datuk Yahaya Abdul Rahman said the evolution of aviation safety measures emphasised the critical role of data collection, black box technology and international collaboration in preventing future accidents.

“We focus on analysing the data. By investigating every incident and accident properly, we can identify the root causes and store this information for reference.

"This data, gathered from all over the world, allows us to pinpoint common causes of accidents, particularly in our equatorial region where strong winds and unpredictable weather, like during the monsoon season, pose challenges.

"Through this data, we can understand trends and take preventive measures to address issues specific to our country's unique climate conditions,” the former DCA top man, which is now known as the Civil Aviation Authority Malaysia (CAAM), said during a recent Fireside Chat with Sinar Daily.

Yahaya said that there had been numerous accidents in the past and pointed out that patterns could be observed from the data collected, such as certain incidents recurring at the same time each year.

With reliable data, trends could be identified.

He added that risk was usually carefully calculated to determine how much could be tolerated and whether to proceed with the flight. With this approach, he emphasised that the crew could stay ahead of potential risks.

Yahaya, who also served as the former Air Accident Investigation Bureau Head at the Transport Ministry, emphasised that in the case of a crash involving a small plane, immediate action was taken, particularly during a national disaster.

He highlighted the priority of securing evidence before it deteriorates, focusing on gathering critical information like the location of fires and fuel remnants.

"With good maintenance, a single-engine aircraft is at risk because if the engine fails, you have to land immediately.

“However, modern aircraft, especially passenger planes, typically have at least two engines. If one engine fails, the other can keep the plane flying safely.

"That's why it's crucial for pilots to know the emergency procedures, as losing half of the engine power requires them to respond quickly to avoid a dangerous situation,” he said.

Yahaya explained that if pilots followed recommended practices, they could manage the situation and return to their field safely. However, this remains a challenging scenario, as single-engine planes and helicopters are still in use.

He said that opting for twin-engine aircraft would double the cost, so a balance between cost and safety must sometimes be considered.

Yahaya further stressed that survival chances in aviation depend on the situation, with proper maintenance playing a key role.

Single-engine aircraft, such as small planes and helicopters, he said, pose unique risks as engine failure requires a safe landing and proper procedures from pilots.

While modern twin-engine passenger aircraft offer greater safety, as one engine could keep the plane in the air, but they were relatively more expensive.

Therefore, he added safety and cost must be balanced, especially in regions where single-engine aircraft were more common.

“Advancements in flight data technology have greatly improved safety. For example, cockpit voice recorders (CVRs) and flight data recorders (FDRs) have been upgraded to withstand more extreme impacts and record longer durations. This allows for more detailed information collection,” he added.

For example, he said during a helicopter crash investigation, they discovered that the force of the crash exceeded 8g, causing the FDR to stop recording. Despite some limitations, most black boxes remained intact and provide valuable data.

“At the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), we have our own lab to download and analyse data from undamaged black boxes. If a box is damaged, we send it to external labs, such as in Singapore or the UK, for further examination,” he said, adding that ‘incidents’ were categorised based on severity.

Incidents, he said, referred to events that were less serious than accidents but still required investigation due to safety concerns, such as a hard landing.

In such cases, he said investigators would retrieve the black box and analyse the data to understand what went wrong.