Honour recognises excellence in aviation safety

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology

ISSN: 0002-2667

Article publication date: 21 March 2008

221

Citation

(2008), "Honour recognises excellence in aviation safety", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 80 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2008.12780bab.018

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2008, Emerald Group Publishing Limited


Honour recognises excellence in aviation safety

Article Type: Safety topic and notes From: Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology: An International Journal, Volume 80, Issue 2.

EVA Air recently received the 2007 Richard Teller Crane Founder's Award from the international Flight Safety Foundation for “its corporate leadership in aviation safety programs and its superb safety record”. The airline was honoured at the Flight Safety Foundation's 60th annual International Air Safety Seminar in Seoul, Korea. In the five years since the coveted award was established, EVA is the first Asian airline and only the second airline among all recipients to receive it.

EVA Chairman Steve Lin accepted the award from Flight Safety Foundation chairman Edward Watts Stimpson. The 60-year-old Flight Safety Foundation has established a visionary framework for international aviation safety and is one of the most prestigious, influential and respected organisations of its kind in the world. Its members come from 142 countries, and include 11,140 leaders and innovators from the airline and related industries.

The award was established to recognise “sustained corporate leadership through lasting contribution to or support of aviation safety and safety programs”. Starting with the first presentation, past recipients are Rockwell Collins in 2002; BAE Systems, 2003; Continental Airlines, 2004; and Embraer in 2006. No award was presented in 2005.

EVA management has emphasised safety and quality service in all operations from the day the airline was formed 16 years ago, starting with a “total safety policy” for every aspect of aircraft maintenance and passenger care. Its quality service core is built on that foundation.

EVA began working with the US Marine Research Laboratories in 2005 to develop a Flight Operations Risk Assessment System (FORAS) that is now in use. FORAS uses a relative index to proactively assess operational risks pre-flight. The index can be used by pilots and dispatchers as a decision aid and awareness tool to manage risks of flights. EVA's commitment to FORAS and its safety performance in all areas of operation are among the reasons why the airline was singled out for the Richard Teller Crane Founder's Award.

In addition to the Richard Teller Crane Founder's Award, the airline has a lengthy list of honours and awards to its credit for safety and procedures. EVA was recognised among the “Best of the Best” as one of the world's ten safest airlines by Aero International Magazine in 2005 and again in 2006. The German magazine compiled a ranking of the world's 50 leading airlines after analyzing flight-safety records and related data. Alongside EVE in the top- ten safest carriers are Qantas, Virgin, Emirates, Ryan Air and Easy Jet.

EVA Air was the first airline in Taiwan to be certified through the International Air Transport Association's Operational Safety Audit, and is an IOSA-Certified Operator with a commendation concluding, “Zero Findings, Zero Recommendations.” EVA has also received Awards of Excellence from the Boeing Company for outstanding fleet maintenance and reliability.

In addition, EVA has been recognised by the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) of Taiwan and received Golden Wing Awards for surpassing other Taiwan- based carriers in flight safety management, passenger services, information provided, chartered flight services during peak seasons, support of airport training drills and more in 2003, 2004 and 2005. The CAA gave EVA a “first grade rating” and Best Flight Operations Award in 2000. And the CAA singled out EVA for Zero Defaults in Flight Safety in 1995, noting that EVA Air was the only airline with a “zero default” rating.

EVA was the first airline in Taiwan to achieve ISO 9002 Certification in three separate areas of operation at the same time: Passenger, Cargo and Maintenance Services. The airline maintains this quality status with the Bureau Verities Quality International. It also earned US FAA certification for the state-of-the-art, Taiwan-based maintenance program it operates in partnership with General Electric.

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