Air Traffic Safety Management: The Significance of Voluntary Reporting and Data Distribution
Air Traffic Organization (ATO) Voluntary Safety Reporting Program (VSRP) Air Traffic Safety Action Program (ATSAP) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) National Airspace System (NAS)
Xavier M. Ashley Xavier M Ashley
This study primarily investigated inadequacies identified through the utilization of the Air Traffic Safety Action Program (ATSAP), a Voluntary Safety Reporting Program (VSRP) overseen by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The primary objective of this research was to ascertain whether the FAA was properly managing the ATSAP and if the program was capable of effectively identifying safety hazards present in the national airspace. To assist in this determination, this study communicated the basic characteristics and significance of safety management and voluntary reporting in aviation. This served to clarify the intended function of the ATSAP and to articulate contributions that modern voluntary disclosure programs provide to the air traffic community and larger aviation community. It was discovered that several issues primarily relating to ATSAP data dissemination require attention from government regulators. Furthermore, due to previous scholarly research into the program being rather limited and dated, it was noted that this research was unable to fully portray the current state of the ATSAP. In response to the findings, two recommendations are provided. The first encourages the FAA to implement a more comprehensive and intuitive VSRP, one which can be utilized by both air traffic personnel and other aviation professionals. The second recommendation affirms the importance of continued research in to the ATSAP and that additional studies have the potential to reveal further improvements that can be made to the voluntary reporting process.
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Scholarly Commons
Abstract

This study primarily investigated inadequacies identified through the utilization of the Air Traffic Safety Action Program (ATSAP), a Voluntary Safety Reporting Program (VSRP) overseen by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The primary objective of this research was to ascertain whether the FAA was properly managing the ATSAP and if the program was capable of effectively identifying safety hazards present in the national airspace. To assist in this determination, this study communicated the basic characteristics and significance of safety management and voluntary reporting in aviation. This served to clarify the intended function of the ATSAP and to articulate contributions that modern voluntary disclosure programs provide to the air traffic community and larger aviation community. It was discovered that several issues primarily relating to ATSAP data dissemination require attention from government regulators. Furthermore, due to previous scholarly research into the program being rather limited and dated, it was noted that this research was unable to fully portray the current state of the ATSAP. In response to the findings, two recommendations are provided. The first encourages the FAA to implement a more comprehensive and intuitive VSRP, one which can be utilized by both air traffic personnel and other aviation professionals. The second recommendation affirms the importance of continued research in to the ATSAP and that additional studies have the potential to reveal further improvements that can be made to the voluntary reporting process.

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